Fire Lilies
by El Conservatore
Summary: The duty of a daughter does not end with the passing of her family. It continues on, chasing after her footsteps and coloring her thoughts, until that duty is fulfilled or until that daughter is dead. And right now, Uchiha Sayaka and Uchiha Itachi are very much alive.
1. Chapter 1

To be a daughter of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha meant many things.

Honor. Faithfulness. Deference. Grace.

But above all, duty.

Uchiha Sayaka was, in her best moments, the embodiment of all these things. Now, as she served tea to her father's guests, she was able to make herself into an example for others to follow. The tea flowed smoothly from its pot, swirling inside the cups that lay out on the low table that the group of four men was seated at.

Over her head, Uchiha Fugaku led a conversation on things that Sayaka did not understand. She had suspicions, things that she didn't dare say to her father or her brother, things that her mother would look at her sadly about when Sayaka mentioned them.

"Is it wise, allowing your daughter to be here?" asked one of the clansmen. "Children's lips may not be so closed as they would hope."

"It is acceptable," said Fugaku, inclining his head at Sayaka. "Mikoto has taught her well."

Sayaka inclined her head like she was expected to, flushing at her father's praise, and very carefully placed her teapot on the side table. She glanced up as the men's attention turned back to their conversation and caught her mother's eye. Mikoto Uchiha smiled very slightly at her. Sayaka had done well.

The next hour passed slowly for Sayaka, and it became increasingly challenging for her to sit still. The extended time in seiza was making her lose feeling in her toes. The topics were becoming increasingly abstract as well, and Sayaka had long since lost track of what was happening. She instead occupied her time with daydreams and flights of fantasy, while keeping one ear out for empty cups. Twice, her mother fetched more tea, which Sayaka poured flawlessly.

As the cicadas began their nightly song, and as Sayaka thought she might genuinely lose her mind from boredom, the doors of the living room slid open.

"Itachi," Fugaku said.

Sayaka looked up, smiling, at her older brother. She had hoped that the meeting would end before he returned home so that she could badger him for training, but it was good to see him regardless.

"Father," said Itachi quietly. He looked around the room, eyes dark and tired. "I am interrupting. I apologize."

"Sit," said Fugaku, gesturing to his right. "Sayaka, fetch your brother a cushion."

"Yes, fa—" Sayaka began, but—

"There is no need," said Itachi, inclining his head politely. "I am not staying. Sayaka has asked for help in her studies. I am here to take her to the training grounds."

Sayaka looked from Itachi to her mother and then to her father. Mikoto was focused on the ground, while Fugaku's face had gone very carefully still.

"The situation is delicate, my son," said Fugaku, staring Itachi in the eyes. "Your… talents would shed much light on the matter."

"I am sure that Taka-san can take care of it," said Itachi. "It would not do for Sayaka to fall behind."

"Are you?" Fugaku asked, turning to Sayaka sharply.

Sayaka flinched.

"N-no, father," Sayaka said demurely, inclining her head again. "I-I merely wish to get ahead of the class, with onii-san's help."

Fugaku looked away, picking up his teacup and sipping it quietly.

"It is well that your daughter seeks further instruction," said Uchiha Aoku, one of the older clansmen, though not the clan head. "Let the young grow as they can, Fugaku-san. We can speak to Itachi later."

Fugaku sighed imperceptibly.

"Very well," he said. "Sayaka, you may be dismissed."

Sayaka couldn't hold back her grin as she bowed. "Thank you, father!"

* * *

"Mou, onii-chan, that was mean!" Sayaka whined as she followed Itachi to the training fields. "Why did you say that?"

"Hm?" Itachi asked. "I'm not sure what you mean, Sayaka-chan."

"You know what I mean!" Sayaka said, punching Itachi in the arm. "Saying things like I'm falling behind in class!"

"I am sorry, Sayaka-chan," said Itachi, dropping his hand on her head and ruffling her hair to elicit a squawk of protest.

"Nii-channnn!"

* * *

"Did you learn well from your brother today?" asked Mikoto as she brushed out Sayaka's hair.

"I did, mother," said Sayaka, carefully increasing the speed of the leaf she was spinning in the palm of her hand. The chakra control exercise started easily, but got harder when Sayaka began adding more leaves. "Onii-san helped me with my taijutsu. I am still learning to be faster."

"The Academy style is very solid, not so mobile," said Mikoto as Sayaka added her third leaf from the small pile sitting next to her futon, lifting it with a small string of chakra into the set that orbited around Sayaka's palm.

"Yes. Onii-san says that I should learn the Uchiha style soon, but that he cannot teach me the Woman's Form."

"Mm," hummed Mikoto. "It is usually taught later, but perhaps we can begin tomorrow."

"Really?" Sayaka asked, turning in her seat to look at her mother excitedly, leaves blowing away and forgotten. "Will you teach me, mother?"

Uchiha Mikoto laughed at her daughter and gently turned her back around. "Yes, dearest, now let me finish brushing your hair."

* * *

The training never came.

By the time Sayaka returned home the next day, the clan had already fallen. By the time that Sayaka had run home, her mother and father had already died.

And her brother's eyes…

What he showed her was burned into her soul forever.

* * *

A meeting was happening late at night in the dim offices of the Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. The aftermath of the Uchiha Massacre had left the village in a dazed limbo. The balance of power had shifted catastrophically, and those in power now had to do something about it. The duty of Konoha's shinobi clans was clear in such times: maintain order and secure the village. It was the duty of their leader, the Hokage, to consider other matters.

"Our most pressing task is ensuring the Uchiha do not die out," said Shimura Danzo, lacing his fingers over the top of his staff from his seat in the Hokage's office. He was an old, old soldier, and one of the Hokage's oldest advisors. "Uchiha Sayaka must be placed under guard immediately, and for the remainder of her life until she can defend herself."

"I have already placed ANBU around her hospital room," said Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third Hokage of Konoha. He sighed deeply, blowing a cloud of pipe smoke as he stared down at his desk. When he had inherited this office, he had hoped to prevent these sorts of events. Alas, that he had again failed. "As for your other comments…"

"For once, you cannot call me paranoid," Danzo said quietly. He frowned. "We may be at peace with Cloud and the other shinobi nations, but you know as well as I how much that peace is worth. The risk is still very high."

Hiruzen sighed again. "Of course. You may call me soft, but I am not blind to the dangers to my village. Cloud needs only a pretense, and with the Uchiha gone they may discard even that. For a bloodline heir, the risk from Cloud can only increase. Sayaka will be secure."

"Good. Perhaps she would do well as—"

"I will not allow you to recruit her," said Hiruzen sharply. "Your… experiments have been questionably successful at best."

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "This old saw again? I thought we laid that argument aside long ago."

"You must admit, Danzo, that your theories have not panned out as you had hoped," said Hiruzen, arching an eyebrow. "Leaving aside my morals, let us speak pragmatically. The return on your investment has been inconsistent and often middling. Do you really wish to risk an asset like _the last Uchiha_ on such methods?"

Danzo huffed, pulling a sour face. "I suppose."

"Furthermore, as much as it pains me, consider the impact on her later… suitability for marriage," said Hiruzen, grimacing. "ROOT does not…"

"No, it is not suited to that," said Danzo, shaking his head. He sighed. "You are right, in the end. We will have to keep an eye on her. I would hope that a suitable clan would have a boy her age available, but alas…"

"It is far, far too early," said Hiruzen, waving his hand through his pipe smoke. "Do not let yourself become carried away, Danzo. You have played this game long enough to know how unpredictable life truly is."

"Some things, yes, but matchmaking is comparatively easy," said Danzo dismissively. "So long as you make the necessary considerations, especially with this new fashion of marrying for love."

Hiruzen took a drag on his pipe. "It is no bad thing."

"Is it not?" Danzo asked, raising his eyebrow. "Perhaps for the common ninja, but in the case of Uchiha Sayaka…"

"It is of no concern tonight," said Hiruzen decisively. He set his pipe down. "Sayaka's future, in that regard at least, can be postponed until after she has graduated from the Academy. We have more pressing matters to discuss. How does our security posture change after this?"

Danzo nodded. "Well, it is more complex than we initially thought…"

* * *

Sayaka was officially made a ward of the Hokage, which was apparently some kind of great honor. Akin to being adopted by the Hokage's household, but separate enough that she wasn't tied to the Sarutobi Clan. It didn't matter, because her family was dead.

Upon discharge from the hospital, Sayaka was placed in the care of Chikurin Hiroyo, a member of minor nobility whose shinobi and samurai had made the clan well-off, if not quite famous, and certainly not at the level of the Hyuga or the Uchiha. It was a kind of honor for the Chikurin, but mostly it was because they were too minor to cause a political uproar if Sayaka was living with one of their members. This was lost on Sayaka, however, because her family was dead.

Chikurin-san's apartment was spacious, within spitting distance of the Tower. Chikurin-san herself was nice enough, and gave Sayaka the space she wanted, and wasn't a bad cook, but her eggs weren't cooked the same as Mikoto's, and Chikurin-san's soup used a little too much miso, but it was almost worse when Chikurin-san tried harder and one day managed to get it exactly right, because Sayaka's family was dead.

Sayaka tried very hard to stop crying, but it was no use.

"Sayaka? Sayaka what's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Sayaka shook her head, biting her lip as she choked down a sob and clutched at the hem of her skirt, as if the fabric would absorb the tears that tried to fall.

"Sayaka, talk to me, are you alright?" said Matsumoto-san. The older woman nudged Sayaka's plates away from the edge of the table and kneeled next to Sayaka and placed a worried hand on Sayaka's shoulder.

"It— it's good," Sayaka sniffled.

"Oh, Sayaka," sighed Hiroyo, pulling Sayaka into a hug as the young girl finally gave in to the sobs.

* * *

There had been few things that Sayaka had been able, or wanted, to recover from her home. Her stuffed animals she left behind. Of her clothing, she only took a few changes of her training wear, some bedclothes and underthings, and the nice, formal kimono that she had received from her mother on her last birthday.

The practice kunai Itachi had given her were thrown into the lake.

She also took her calligraphy set, a gift from her father, now that she was old enough to practice the art with steady enough hands. It was an art that she found challenging, her attention wavering at the slightest distraction. In his more tender moments, Fugaku had called her "his little ember", because she had always wanted to flicker this way and that. Mikoto had once taught her that embers must be tempered into candles, whose flames are no less bright, but steady and more clear so that others may see.

Sayaka's ink block whispered softly to her as she ground it against her inkstone, holding back her sleeve with one hand as the other pressed the ink block firmly against the dark grey stone. The bamboo writing desk that it was placed on was Hiroyo's. Sturdy, but unadorned. Not the fine lacquered wood that Sayaka's father used.

The hardwood floor bit at Sayaka's knees. There were cushions and blankets that she could use, but she had learned long ago that they did not help. Blankets did not dull the pain enough, and cushions made her kanji tilt to the right. She would endure the pain in her knees as she always had.

Sayaka set her ink block aside and picked up her brush, wetting it on the surface of the inkstone. It wasn't as fine as her father's, that instrument of his will that could speak volumes in a single stroke, but it suited her needs. It was made of weasel fur and bamboo, the tip firm but supple and the handle light and stiff in her hand. Not like the stiff hairs of the Academy brushes that splayed when she pressed down and whose handles creaked in her grip.

Sayaka breathed: four counts in, four counts out. Sayaka raised her brush and began to write, each stroke swift, precise, without grandiose gestures or pretentious airs. She simply wrote and, finished, placed her brush in its stand and leaned back to look over her work.

Akari. A light in the darkness.

Such was the fate of a daughter of the Uchiha clan.

Sayaka pulled out her calligraphy seal and the small ceramic dish of red ink reserved for this final step. She lifted the lid and dabbed her seal in the ink twice, then pressed her seal against the paper. The deep scarlet of the seal ink stood out vibrantly against pale white and deepest black. A moment to let the ink dry, then Sayaka pulled the sheet out from under her paperweight and set it aside.

Another sheet rustled into place under the paperweight, and Sayaka picked up her brush once more.

What did it mean, really, to be a lantern in the darkness? Before, she would have said it meant helping her clan however she was needed. Back then, things were very simple. She hadn't known what it meant to lose people she loved—hadn't felt that pain. It hurt all the time, and everything seemed to remind Sayaka of what she had lost. Hiroyo had said once that over time, the pain would fade, and she would learn to live with it, but that didn't matter to Sayaka. She couldn't make herself believe in the distant future that lay where she could not yet go, if indeed she would ever reach it. Who would teach her how to be a good kunoichi, now that her mother was gone? Who was she supposed to love and honor if not her father? And as for Itachi…

Sayaka's grip on her brush tightened. The tip of the brush trembled in her fingers, and Sayaka breathed in four counts, then out four counts.

A beat.

Her brush flicked across the paper, swift, sure, filled with unspoken anger and grief.

Fire. The heart of all Uchiha. That which nurtured and that which consumed in unholy, unforgiving rage, casting ashes to ashes and dust to dust, until all that remained were the whispers of the dead.

Sayaka's seal bit into the paper, and she cast the sheet aside.

Her brush dipped into ink once more.

She would have to find her own way. She was alone now, the last light of a guttering candle flame, the rooms of her home darkened by the hand of her own brother. So many lights—snuffed out.

Sayaka's brush set to paper once more. She thought of her family. Of cousins and aunts and uncles. Of the old and of the young. And of her mother. She thought of the days past and the days that would never come, and she wrote.

Vengeance. Fukushu.

She made it a promise, and pressed her seal down.

* * *

It was the height of summer.

The roof of Sayaka's apartment building was originally intended as a community entertainment space. There were grills and a small fountain and a small fenced-in area, kept clear for very light sparring. In theory, it was supposed to help all the tenants, most of whom were ninja, get to know each other and become good friends.

In practice, most ninja who lived on their own were relatively young chunin who were usually busy with missions or parties at local bars. Their dinner was usually simple, cooked over a stove or carried home from a stand. Inconveniently, the summer was when mission tempos were the highest, with warlords seeking to out-maneuver each other one way or another and merchants looking for protection of their goods and their services, and so the rooftop went largely unused.

This served Sayaka well. She needed a place to train, the Academy grounds were limited, and the training grounds off-limits to girls her age despite how good their marks may be. The sparring area had slowly become populated with her training targets and the fence grew nicked from missed throws.

Today, she was working on her ninjutsu. Sayaka sat near one of the many utilitarian grills under the noontime sun, her hair tied up to keep it off her neck and clothed in a light t-shirt and a pair of loose shorts. A textbook titled _A Practical Guide to Fire Release_ sat on her lap, turned to the first chapter: chakra control exercises.

Sayaka set the textbook aside, marking her place with a leaf. She moved to stand before the grill, staring at it for a whisper of time. She had built a fire, something small enough that she could barely feel the heat that ran off it, but large enough not to go out before she had learned something.

The steps of the exercise were simple. Sayaka breathed in four counts, then held it, gathering her chakra into the air in her lungs. Then, when she was sure, she breathed out, holding on tightly as the chakra in her breath wavered and swirled towards the flames.

The fire leaped, latching greedily onto Sayaka's chakra. It raced towards her, following the fuel towards its source. Sayaka yelped and jumped back, losing control of her chakra, and the surge of flame died with a quiet thump of moving air.

Sayaka took a long, careful breath, and frowned at how unsteady it was. She shouldn't— she was an Uchiha. Fire could not hurt her.

She stepped forward and tried again. In four counts, then out, guiding the chakra this time instead of letting it billow. The flames surged once more, reaching out for her face, the heat drawing sharp lines on her cheeks and brow, until she couldn't bear it and cut her chakra, turning away as the fire dropped back to placidity once more.

It hurt. Sayaka pressed her hands against her face, her palms cool against the hot skin, and slowly breathed in, then out. It hurt, but Sayaka bit her lip and stood like stone, feet planted and shoulders held level. Then, when the pain had passed, Sayaka raised her head and walked back to the fire in the grill.

The steps of the exercise were simple. Sayaka breathed in four counts and then held it, gathering her chakra into the air in her lungs. Then, when she was sure, she breathed out, holding on tightly as the chakra in her breath rushed forward, the flames in the grill snapping it up and flaring upwards as Sayaka's chakra gave it life. The chakra swirled in the center of the flames, glowing embers flaring from red to yellow to brightest white as Sayaka breathed out again, chakra feeding the flames once more, so that the fire began to leap from the top of the grill.

It hurt. The heat of the fire burned her face, made her eyes water, but Sayaka breathed in four counts, mixed her chakra, and breathed out again, keeping her grip tight on the lashing tongues of chakra in the grill.

The air shimmered and rippled and the wood burned, burned, burned, clean and hot, until Sayaka was holding a swirling ball of fire fed by nothing but her own chakra. It danced with the beating of her heart, pulsing in tune with her soul, before she cut the technique.

Sayaka breathed in four counts, then slowly, slowly, breathed out again. The grill was intensely hot, the air above it rippling from the heat.

Sayaka turned and picked up another pile of kindling and began building another fire in another grill. She would try again, and do it faster, with more control of the flames.

She had much training to do.

* * *

Another birthday had come and gone, and Sayaka had grown stronger.

The unused rooftop atop Hiroyo's apartment building had become Sayaka's preferred practice area, at least for the basics, but she was rapidly outgrowing both the roof and what she could do on her own. It frustrated her, because the Academy's facilities were little better and she wasn't allowed to use the public training fields without supervision.

Her brother was still out there, and here she stood, unable to move forward.

Sayaka stepped to the side and quelled the spark of anger that thought brought before it translated into a punch that would put her opponent in the nurse's office. Instead, he merely wheezed and staggered. The boy was unremarkable, a typical Academy student two years from graduation with much enthusiasm and some talent. The two of them weren't a good match-up; her agility outpaced his and his lack of subtlety didn't help. But there were worse match-ups too, and Sayaka didn't begrudge the practice.

A leg sweep, missed as the boy jumped back, clutching at his midriff. Sayaka raised her hands again, stepping forward—

"Time!"

The boy looked relieved to be spared another round of Sayaka's taijutsu. He bowed quickly, making the seal of reconciliation before scurrying off to his friends.

"Group two, take a break and get some water," said their sensei, flipping through his clipboard distractedly. "Group three, your match-ups are…"

Sayaka tuned him out, making her way over to the water cooler and standing in line with the rest of her class, who very carefully gave her a wide berth. It was understandable; Sayaka had, despite Hiroyo's best intentions, picked up a reputation as someone who was pricklier than she was soft, and so her classmates avoided her.

Sayaka made a face as she poured herself a cup of water, then stepped aside. It was a little lonely, but the quiet was nice too.

"Sayaka-san," called the sensei in charge of the sparring matches. Sayaka looked up questioningly. "Sayaka-san, we're short one person. Do you think you could help?"

Sayaka blinked and looked over at the small, blonde boy that was missing a partner for the spar.

"Sorry to cut your break off," said the sensei wryly. "It shouldn't be too much for you though. We'll give you a little longer between rounds to make up for it."

"Yes sensei," said Sayaka, nodding shortly and setting her cup aside.

"Very good. Naruto?"

The two of them stepped into the sparring ring. Sayaka bowed demurely.

"Just so you know!" Naruto said loudly. "Even if you're the top kunoichi, I'm not gonna hold back!"

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "…Okay?"

"I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Language, Naruto!"

Naruto winced. "Sorry sensei."

Sayaka gave him a nonplussed look.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes!"

"Yes sensei."

"Begin!"

Sayaka slid to the side as Naruto promptly attempted to rugby tackle her. She blinked as he tumbled into the ground, popped up, and tried again immediately.

"That's never going to work," she said as he went flying past her a second time. "I'm faster than you. You need to keep me from moving out of the way."

"What do you—" Sayaka dodged a third flying tackle "—think I'm doing?" Naruto asked.

"Missing."

Naruto growled something incoherent and launched himself at her again. Rolling her eyes, Sayaka leaned to the side, then found herself dodging a wild clothesline that flicked through her hair as she dropped to the ground. She pivoted, snapping her hands up to block a rough roundhouse that made her wince at the impact against bare skin. A follow-up punch was deflected easily, and responded to with a swift knifehand that made Naruto choke and gag but didn't put him down like every other boy she'd ever fought.

Instead, he surprised her with a shoulder throw that she had to punish with a leg sweep. Naruto went down with a yelp and Sayaka took the opportunity to lock his arm and twist the shoulder joint unnaturally until Naruto tapped out.

"Guh, that hurt," Naruto groaned, sitting up and rubbing his shoulder. "What's that called?"

"…a shoulder lock?" Sayaka asked.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"Where did you learn it?"

"It's in our textbook for the Academy style," said Sayaka. "In the back, in the appendices?"

"Cool," said Naruto, nodding seriously before he jumped back up. "Alright! You beat me that time, but this time for sure I'm going to kick your ass!"

"_Language_, Naruto!"

"Sorry!"

* * *

Sayaka and Naruto became regular sparring partners. It was mostly a matter of convenience—Sayaka was good enough that none of her classmates were really a good match, and Naruto was always the odd one out. Sayaka was glad for the additional practice, even if Naruto was less than effective most days.

Far more interesting was training with Hiroyo.

"Kenjutsu, as practiced by a samurai, is very static," Hiroyo began one day, as they stood across from each other in the sparring area on the roof of their apartment. Hiroyo carried her sword in one hand, and a bokken for Sayaka in the other. "It is very hard for a ninja to use it effectively, since mobility is very important in shinobi combat. However, samurai kenjutsu provides a good foundation to build off of."

She offered the bokken to Sayaka, who took the wooden practice sword carefully. It was heavy, more than she had expected, but of a length suited to her stature.

"It is difficult to train when partners are of unequal height," Hiroyo continued. "But we will do the best we can. We begin with the Foundational Form."

It was indeed difficult. Sparring was nearly impossible, even when Hiroyo defended and never attacked. The disparity in reach could not be overcome, at least not with the extremely grounded forms of the Chikurin Clan's kenjutsu teachings. The Academy standard taijutsu style was itself quite static by shinobi standards, but kenjutsu was even more fixed, focused on footwork and stable movement that, between samurai, was key to victory, but between ninja was a deadly liability.

That didn't make it slow. Hiroyo could strike faster than Sayaka could see, her blade flashing in the time between breaths to strike down her target.

"For samurai, the key is always to strike swiftly and decisively," Hiroyo said one day as Sayaka recovered from a punishing series of drills. "A fight between novices begins and ends with explosive movement and maximum economy of motion. It is not a dance, the way it is in books and stories. It is a battle, and only one will emerge victorious."

Sayaka nodded. Such things were not new to her.

"For ninja it will always be different," Hiroyo continued. "We must hide beneath the underneath. Striking directly like this is not our way. We use words and insults, weaken our foes with poison and infection, then kill them when they are at their weakest. There is a time and place for battlefield ninjutsu, it is true, and the ninja who can employ them have their unique strength. Now, are you ready?"

Sayaka swallowed a gulp of water and nodded again, raising her bokken as Hiroyo stepped forward.

"The Foundational Form again," said Hiroyo. "Your footwork has improved, but we will train until you cannot be toppled but for the will of the kami. Begin."

* * *

Asakura-sensei was not Sayaka's favorite.

"Sloppy," she said, poking at Sayaka's flower arrangement with a pen after class had ended. "Your blossoms are well-chosen but the arrangement is vague and unfocused. You have done better than this, Uchiha-san. Why are you allowing this to represent yourself?"

"It was the most effective use of my time," Sayaka said, eyes politely focused somewhere at the base of the desk. "I have other training as well."

"Be that as it may, you are also a kunoichi," said Asakura-sensei. "It is necessary that you develop these skills."

Sayaka breathed in very carefully, then out again, and resisted the urge to make eye contact with Asakura-sensei. It would only aggravate the situation. "I see."

"You are clearly capable of achieving good grades," said Asakura-sensei. "You are the top of the class in the shinobi arts, surpassing even the boys. Perhaps you believe that you have learned enough? I understand that you are already familiar with much of the material."

"There is always more to learn, sensei," said Sayaka demurely.

"And yet that does not seem to be reflected in your schoolwork," said Asakura-sensei. She folded her arms and looked down at Sayaka. "If you do not feel that I have enough to teach you, I would not take it as an insult. Indeed, it is always an instructor's honor to have a student who learns the material more quickly than one can teach it. But this—" she gestured at the arrangement "—this is unacceptable. This is more of an insult, though you most likely do not mean it that way."

Sayaka frowned, biting her lip, then bowed shallowly. "I apologize. I did not think, and have been disrespectful."

"You are young, no apology is needed," said Asakura-sensei, waving it off. "It is more important to me that you put effort into your work, at least enough to do well."

Sayaka breathed in very carefully, then out again, and bowed once more. "I will work harder. I apologize for making you have this conversation with me."

"Very well, you may go. If you wish, you may resubmit an arrangement, and I will grade that one instead."

Sayaka bowed a third time, hands very carefully at her sides. "Thank you for the opportunity, sensei."

That afternoon, Sayaka found a sapling in a training field and burnt it to a cinder. A nearly perfect flower arrangement appeared on Asakura-sensei's desk the next day.

Sayaka never had another problem in her kunoichi coursework.

* * *

Sayaka received her first arranged marriage request from the Hyuuga Family in mid-July, on the eve of her eleventh birthday.

It was the strangest occasion she'd ever been to. The Hyuuga did not truly want her to marry into the family. The Byakugan and Sharingan bloodlines were rivals, of course, but more importantly they were almost certainly genetically incompatible. Nobody knew what would happen if they crossed, but it was almost certainly not good. It seemed more that the Hyuuga head wanted a useful excuse to entertain Sayaka in his home.

"I am glad that you accepted my invitation," said Hiashi. The settings were filled mostly by Hyuuga Main Branch members with Hiroyo and Sayaka seated opposite. Hyuuga Hinata kneeled across from Sayaka, with her father to her left and Hiroyo across from him. Sayaka caught her eye briefly as they sat down, before the other girl looked back down at her table setting.

Well, the dinner may not be for marriage, but it wouldn't do for Sayaka to be the only child at the table. That would have entirely different implications, ones that would be very bad for Hiashi. Hinata was safe—girls didn't marry girls, after all.

"We were glad to," said Hiroyo, inclining her head. "It is an honor to be here."

"The honor is ours," said Hiashi, returning the bow. On cue, the food began arriving, starting with Hiroyo, then moving clockwise to Sayaka, Hinata, Hiashi, and then several Hyuuga members that Sayaka wasn't familiar with, until everyone had been served. A small cup of sake was served afterwards, even to the children, though Sayaka noticed that she and Hinata were given noticeably less than the adults.

That was fine. She didn't like sake very much anyway.

"Kampai," said Hiashi, raising his cup to the table.

"Kampai," Sayaka said, with everyone else, before taking a polite sip and leaving her sake otherwise untouched.

"Itadakimasu," Hiashi said, gesturing for everyone to eat.

The table was silent for several moments as everyone sampled the first course. Sayaka was unable to identify what exactly it was, though it was very light and ethereal. Whoever it was that was cooking was doing a very good job.

"I hope it is to your taste," Hiashi said, setting his chopsticks down.

"It is," said Hiroyo, setting hers down as well. "I commend you and your household."

"Thank you. And you, Uchiha-san?"

"It is delightful," said Sayaka. "Thank you for the food."

"Of course," said Hiashi. "I understand that you are doing well in classes, Uchiha-san. My congratulations on such continuous success."

"I am lucky to have good instructors, Hyuuga-sama," Sayaka said, bowing her head deferentially. "And Hiroyo-san has been very helpful when I am revising."

The meal progressed, touching on several minor topics.

"Flowers?" Sayaka said as dinner wound down and the last dishes were cleared away. "I am familiar with many flowers for kunoichi classes."

"Hinata has some interest in flower pressing," said Hiashi. A pair of attendants appeared on some unseen signal. "Perhaps you two could obtain some of the late summer blossoms together."

Sayaka bowed from her seat. "Of course."

"Hinata."

"Otou-sama," murmured Hinata, bowing as well. The two girls got to their feet and departed, bowing again before the paper door slid shut.

The crickets were chirping outside. Hinata dismissed the two attendants with a small gesture, and the Branch family members bowed and retreated.

Both girls sighed softly.

"Your home is remarkable," said Sayaka, looking around the garden they had ended up in. It was done in the traditional style, consisting mostly of large stones and carefully tended trees. The garden wasn't terribly large, but it wasn't terribly small either. Just enough to give a potential couple privacy from prying eyes and ears, but small enough that it couldn't be used somehow to attack the compound from within. "I hadn't realized how large the Hyuuga compound is, nor how beautiful."

"Thank you," said Hinata quietly. She smiled very slightly. "There is much need for training space, so the compounds have grown significantly. The gardens were only natural."

"These trees are very old," Sayaka said, stepping forward onto gravel until she stood beneath a gnarled pine, looking up at the darkened branches in its moonlit shadow. "How far back do the gardens go?"

"We are in the oldest section of the compound," said Hinata, joining Sayaka underneath the pine tree. "So, most likely, it was built just after the founding of the village."

"This tree would have been only a sapling then."

"It is possible that it was a gift from the Senju clan," said Hinata, "though it is unlikely."

"It must be challenging, caring for grounds this large."

Hinata nodded. "The Branch house works very hard."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "I see."

"It is the way of the Hyuuga," said Hinata, lowering her gaze to the roots of the pine tree. "The tree is only as strong as its roots, after all."

It had a recited, practiced air to it.

"Show me more of the garden," Sayaka said, pivoting in the gravel and stepping out into the moonlight again towards the main path. "Is there a pond?"

Hinata lingered for a moment, expression inscrutable, before following.

"Yes, please follow me."

They had wandered, shadowed by the Branch house, deeper into the compound until they had found a covered pavilion with stone seats and a table. An attendant appeared as they sat down.

"Hinata-sama," he said, bowing. "Would you care for refreshment?"

"Tea, please," Hinata said, returning the bow slightly.

"Of course." The attendant gestured, and another Branch member appeared with a tea set and a kettle of water. Sayaka watched as careful application of fire ninjutsu heated the water until it had reached the correct temperature, then warmed the teapot and cups. A tray was placed on the table for the teapot, before tea leaves were measured out and the water poured.

It was all conducted with a kind of grace and beauty that Sayaka found herself unexpectedly jealous of. She hadn't had time…

"Thank you, Oji-san, I have inconvenienced you," said Hinata, bowing more deeply than was necessary. "It was a beautiful display."

The Branch member smiled slightly, returning the bow. "It was nothing, Hinata-sama. Would you like some privacy?"

"Yes please, Oji-san."

Silence returned to the garden, save for the chirping of the crickets. The pavilion did not have a lantern, but the moon was nearly full and it was easy to see. Remarkably, there were no mosquitos in the cool summer night, though whether that was the work of seals or just good gardening, Sayaka was not sure.

Sayaka wasn't sure what to say, and Hinata appeared lost in thought.

"You are… nicer than at school," Hinata said eventually. She blushed, embarrassed. "It is rude of me to say so, I apologize."

Sayaka shrugged, then realized that the gesture might not be visible in the shadows of the pavilion. "It's fine."

"You…" Hinata began, then seemed to think better of what she was about to say. Instead, she poured Sayaka a cup of tea.

It was very good. Sayaka said so.

"O-otou-sama is being a little…" Hinata said vaguely, tipping her hand in a gesture.

"Mm."

They sat in silence again, the air growing awkward.

"This would almost be easier if you were a boy," Sayaka finally said, rising abruptly to stand at the railing of the pavilion.

Hinata laughed, a little, and Sayaka turned in surprise.

"You agree?"

Hinata nodded. A small gust of wind ruffled their kimono, and both girls took a moment to adjust their hair.

"N-nobody teaches you about t-this," Hinata said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I-it's always about how to s-sit and m-m-make yourself attractive for m-marriage, isn't it?"

Sayaka smiled and leaned against the railing, tucking her hands behind her. "Yes. Is there even a protocol to teach?"

Hinata shook her head. "I t-think girls normally are supposed to make f-friends knitting or s-something."

"That doesn't work for ninja though."

Hinata shrugged and drank more tea.

Sayaka sat back down next to Hinata, sighing deeply. "I could have been training today, but instead I was getting my nails done."

Hinata raised an eyebrow. "D-do you not h-have them done?"

"Not _frequently_," said Sayaka, looking down at her lacquered fingernails with distaste. She had nearly had a fight with Hiroyo in public over the affair, and had managed to negotiate down to simply having her nails buffed, cleaned, and polished with a clear finish. Next to hers, Hinata's hands were immaculate, like the heir of a clan's ought to be.

"Y-you have s-scars," Hinata said softly, looking at the spiderweb of cuts on Sayaka's fingers. Sayaka turned her hand over to expose a long one that traced across her palm, making Hinata gasp.

"Kunai training," Sayaka said simply, shrugging again. "Don't you have any?"

Hinata shook her head. "The G-gentle Fist d-does not emphasize weapons. I am a-adequate, but not p-proficient."

"I see."

"Y-you must train a lot, to get so many s-scars," said Hinata.

Sayaka was silent for a long moment. She thought of her family, dead for many years now, and the promises she had made to their memory. Something hot flickered in her chest, threatening to well up and overflow, but she tamped it down with a long, deep breath.

"It is necessary," Sayaka said, "so that I can grow stronger."

Hinata was quiet. They were both daughters of clans, and so nothing needed to be said. If their places were exchanged…

"Your t-tea is cold," Hinata said after a moment. "W-would you like a new cup?"

* * *

The two girls were still not quite to their eleventh birthday, and the evening's "festivities" were brought to an end soon after. Sayaka and Hinata exchanged pleasantries in the usual way before Sayaka departed. Then followed the usual bowing and talking and bowing again before Sayaka and Hiroyo were finally on their way home.

"What did you two talk about?" Hiroyo asked as Sayaka leaned against her sleepily. The tea was starting to lose its effect.

"Gardening," said Sayaka with a shrug. "Hinata likes flowers."

"Mm."

Sayaka read a lot out of that noise.

"What did Hiashi want?"

"Hiashi-_sama_."

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "What did _Hiashi-sama_ want? It wasn't to marry Hinata."

"You would be surprised," Hiroyo said, laughing a little. "There are rumors of certain samurai clans in the far north."

Sayaka tripped over her sandals. "W-what? Seriously?"

"Hiashi-sama is more traditional than that," said Hiroyo with a smile and a pat on Sayaka's shoulder. "Besides, Hinata is likely to be married eventually to a distant cousin. There are other possibilities, of course, but it is unlikely to change."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "Then the point of this was…?"

"The Hyuuga would like to be friends," said Hiroyo simply. "My clan and theirs are friendly enough, so their focus was on you."

Sayaka looked back to the street and turned this over in her mind.

"I see."

* * *

Sayaka turned eleven a week later with very little fanfare. Once she would have had a party with her family, and her mother would have made something special, but Sayaka woke up that morning with nothing more than a hole in her chest where that wish was stored.

So instead she trained.

Hiroyo did make something special though. A bubbling nabe with tofu and mushrooms and fish crowned the dinner table that evening.

"Itadakimasu," the two of them intoned, before digging in.

"It's good," Sayaka said after a moment of eating. "What mushroom is this?"

"It's just the usual shiitakes," said Hiroyo, smiling. "I simmered them in bonito stock beforehand though."

"Doesn't it overcook in the pot afterwards?"

"A little, so eat them first."

Sayaka nodded and fished several of the caps out with her chopsticks. "I learned something new today."

"What was it?"

"I figured out how to transmit chakra down ninja wire," said Sayaka. She paused to bite through a mushroom, chew, and swallow. "It is… an interesting feeling."

"What can you do with it?"

"Not much, yet," said Sayaka. She set her chopsticks down and looked at her hands, thinking. "But. If it can transmit chakra, then it can transmit a technique, right?"

Hiroyo set down her own chopsticks. "There is a technique, called the Dragon Fire Jutsu, which often makes use of strings to guide a flame. It is not restricted to ninja wire, though ninja wire is easiest."

"Do you know it?"

"Not how to use it, no," said Hiroyo. "I am sure it is in the library, however, as it is fairly common."

Sayaka hummed thoughtfully, picking up her chopsticks again. "I should visit, tomorrow."

"It will be closed tomorrow, unfortunately," said Hiroyo with a small smile. "Why not spend some time with Hinata?"

Sayaka looked at Hiroyo with a suspicious expression. "…Alright. I suppose."

* * *

"Hinata-sama is training," said the doorman at the Hyuuga compound. "She is at Training Field 72."

"I see," said Sayaka, bowing. "Thank you."

Hiroyo would be upset if Sayaka returned home without at least attempting to find Hinata. With a small sigh, Sayaka set off towards Training Field 72 to see what she could see.

Sayaka suspected that Hiroyo was scheming to make her more social. Between ninja clans, there was a tendency to propose early and marry later, giving some time to find another in case your intended died, but even so eleven was at least two years too early for any serious consideration of courtship, and even thirteen was pushing it.

And for that matter, it would be very odd if Sayaka had children before she made jounin. She was an Uchiha, still, and if she had children she would be clan head. It would be terribly improper for the clan head to not have had a storied career as a jounin.

Sayaka tried to imagine having children as she walked. It was rather hard. Maybe it was because she was still a child herself, at least by any sensible evaluation. She would need to start worrying about it though. Time passed faster than she would like.

Sayaka sighed as she passed out of the commercial district and started entering the public training fields. Sometimes it felt like she had hardly made any progress. There were many expectations for a daughter of the Uchiha clan, especially because she was expected to be the source of its rebirth, somehow, which meant getting married and being a reasonable catch and all of that tedium.

Sayaka kicked a stone out of frustration. She needed to kill Itachi. Nothing mattered until Itachi was dead. Didn't anyone else realize this? Once she married and had children, there was no way that she would be able to hunt Itachi down. Not without abandoning one of the most important duties of being clan head, or exposing her progeny to Itachi's tender mercies.

And, well, maybe it was a sign of weakness, but all of that made her heart twinge and hot anger coil in her lungs. She would _not_ lose her family again.

And wasn't that a girly thought to have? Then again, that had been what being the daughter of the Clan Head would have been: working hard, reaching jounin, marrying suitably to a cousin far enough away not to cause problems for the child, and then retiring to motherhood.

Sayaka sighed again as she arrived at Training Ground 72. When had these kinds of thoughts started intruding into her life? Things had been simpler when she was focused on killing Itachi. Now, here she was, musing over starting a family and what that might be like, and what she needed to do to make it happen.

"Tch," Sayaka tutted at herself, stepping into the training ground in search of Hinata. If she didn't find Hinata within five minutes, Sayaka was going to find another sapling and light it on fire.

* * *

Very unfortunately, Hinata was not exactly hiding.

"What are you doing?" Sayaka asked, peering over Hinata's shoulder and past a tree at Training Ground 71.

Hinata stifled an "eep" in her hands and whirled in place.

"Sayaka!"

"Is that _Naruto_?" Sayaka asked incredulously. She squinted. "It _is_. What is _he_ doing out here?"

"N-Naruto trains here f-frequently," said Hinata, shrinking from Sayaka nervously.

"…were you _watching him?_" Sayaka hissed. "I— you _like him_."

Hinata's eyes went very wide and frightened as she flushed very red.

"Kami above you really do," said Sayaka. She glanced back around the tree, where Naruto was studiously kicking at a training post. His form was terrible.

Hinata covered her face in her hands and sank down to the roots of the tree, mortified. Sayaka glanced between the two of them, increasingly confused, before huffing a sigh and sitting down next to Hinata.

They were both silent for several moments.

"So, how long have you been crushing on him?" Sayaka asked.

Hinata made a noise.

"That long huh," Sayaka said matter of factly. "Well. I'm sure your father would be horrified."

Hinata made a noise again, this time of quiet alarm, and pulled her hands away. "Y-you won't tell?"

Sayaka snorted. "Of course not."

"T-thank you."

They were quiet some more. Sayaka sighed and leaned back against the tree, looking up at the branches. The sun came through the canopy, dappling across their clothing and skin.

"Boys, huh," she said, sighing morosely.

Hinata made another noise. She had pulled her knees up while they had been sitting, and they muffled her question.

"I was just thinking," said Sayaka. "One day, we're going to have to have children, and then we can't fight anymore."

Hinata looked at her.

"Doesn't that make you sad?" Sayaka asked.

Hinata slowly let her legs down, thinking.

"A little," she said eventually. "B-but isn't that the way of things?"

Sayaka frowned, then stood up and pulled Hinata with her.

"Naruto!" Sayaka called, bowing shallowly before stepping into the clearing. "Do you want to spar? Hinata and I were nearby and noticed you were training."

"Sayaka? What are you doing out here?" asked Naruto, pulling off his goggles to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Oh, hey, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata eeped.

"Anyway, sure, I was getting tired of kicking the stump anyway," said Naruto, stretching a bit before sighing. "Blah. So boring."

"Why don't you and Hinata go first?" said Sayaka blandly, pushing Hinata forward. The girl seemed like she was about to faint.

"Sure! Ne, are you okay, Hinata-chan?"

Sayaka poked Hinata subtly, but firmly, between the shoulder blades. Hinata jumped, then bowed sharply.

"Y-y-y-yes!" she said, a little too loudly. "I-I, um, t-thank you for the m-match!"

Naruto blinked, slightly nonplussed, but bowed back. "No problem! Let's get started!"

Sayaka blandly took her place as proctor, raising an arm. "Ready?"

Naruto dropped into his usual ragged stance. Hinata took a deep breath, centered herself, and then took the first stance of the Gentle Fist.

"Begin!"

* * *

It was not entirely clear if being friends with Naruto made Sayaka less popular or made Naruto more popular. Sayaka and Hinata becoming friends, meanwhile, when coupled with the apparently-widely-known knowledge of the courtship request from the Hyuuga clan, led to all kinds of scandal and gossip about clan relations.

Sayaka was very displeased. Training Ground 14 was soon closed for maintenance after she spent several hours burning everything in it to the ground.

At least it was productive. Sayaka now knew the Dragon Fire Jutsu.

Hiroyo had mixed feelings about the whole affair. On the one hand, Naruto's reputation as a prankster preceded him by miles, and there was something that Hiroyo wasn't telling Sayaka that seemed to compound Hiroyo's worries. On the other hand, Hinata was the sort of girl that any parent would hope their child made friends with. From what Sayaka could gather, Hiashi and the rest of the Hyuuga clan seemed to have the same sort of feelings, which left Sayaka feeling both flattered and very uncomfortable.

In the end, both sets of guardians seemed to decide that Hinata and Sayaka were good for one another, and if Naruto was mysteriously part of this package then everyone would have to do their best to deal with it.

"For what it's worth," Hiroyo said one night during dinner, when Sayaka had been complaining about the rumors surrounding her and Hinata. "I'm not _opposed_. It's a natural phase many girls go through when growing up, and Hinata would be good for you."

Sayaka nearly dropped her chopsticks. "W-wha— _Hiroyo_."

"I'm just saying," said Hiroyo with a shrug. She picked up a piece of food. "I had a girlfriend once, when I was your age. Her name was—"

"Please don't," said Sayaka, setting her chopsticks down with a clink on top of her bowl and covering her ears. "I really don't want to know."

Hiroyo had chuckled, but changed the topic.

And so Sayaka and Hinata danced around each other for a while out of mutual agreement, to try and make the rumors calm down, at least. Sayaka knew enough not to use Naruto as their errand boy, because that would only fuel the rumors with something about secret lovers with Naruto as the faithful friend or something.

Privately, Sayaka wondered sometimes what all the fuss was even about, and why this was even worth mentioning. It wasn't as if she was _actually_ marrying Hinata, and even if that was allowed, the only real concerns that anyone should have were the political ramifications and how they would produce children. And _that_, Sayaka was certain, could be solved, if perhaps with difficulty, through judicious use of medical ninjutsu, and it was merely the case that nobody had bothered to look.

So Sayaka decided that people, on the whole, were incredibly stupid, and then put the thoughts out of her mind. She had training to do.

But finally, after two entire months, the gossip mill's attention shifted away, and Sayaka met Hinata and Naruto at Training Ground 72 again.

"Hinata," said Sayaka in greeting. It was a weekend late in October, and her breath frosted in the morning air.

"Sayaka-san," said Hinata, bowing slightly and smiling. "I-it is good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," said Sayaka. "It's been a while."

"It has been. H-have you been busy?"

"Oh, you know, training, studying, imagining strangling Ino, the usual."

Hinata gave Sayaka a reproachful look. "Sayaka."

"She's so _annoying_ though."

"E-even so…"

"Fine, fine. Did you spend any time with Naruto like I told you to?"

Hinata went very red again but managed to nod. "H-h-he invited me to r-ramen at Ichiraku's."

"More than once?"

Hinata went redder and nodded, hiding under the hood of her jacket.

"Good work," said Sayaka, smiling. "Though I guess it wasn't a date, mm?"

Hinata shook her head, letting her hood drop back.

Sayaka huffed a little, then took a deep breath of the cold morning air. It was a clear morning, the sun rising over the trees, and the sky vibrantly blue. Her fingers and toes tingled at the chill.

There were days, many days, where Sayaka felt the pain of her family's loss more than she felt anything else. Those were bad days. Those were days that she spent pouring her anger and her sorrow into her training, pushing herself harder and faster until her legs nearly gave out under her and her chakra levels dipped to levels that had Hiroyo worried and fussing and had left her in bed over the weekend more than once.

Then there were the average days, where she was merely focused, training and studying and training and studying. She needed to be stronger, needed to be more powerful, and there was no time to waste, but at least those days didn't have the pain of her bad days.

Sayaka didn't have many good days. But today, Sayaka decided, as she turned at Naruto's shouted greeting and scolded him for being loud in the morning, today was a good day.


	2. Chapter 2

It surprised approximately nobody that Uchiha Sayaka and Hyuuga Hinata were placed on the same team together upon graduation. There were several, very quiet, jokes made about the "old couple getting back together", but everyone was well aware of how creative Sayaka could be if adequately motivated.

It surprised approximately everybody that Naruto had managed to graduate.

"You are a massive idiot," Sayaka said, folding her arms and giving Naruto an unimpressed look that she had learned from Hiroyo. "Mizuki fed you that crap and you _believed him_?"

"I mean, like, I couldn't just fail when you guys passed!" Naruto protested, waving his arms and somehow not spilling his ramen. "I was like, desperate, yanno?"

Sayaka increased the power of her disapproval. "Like it would have mattered. You'd only be a semester behind. Maybe less, since Iruka-sensei's nice."

Naruto made a face.

"Sayaka is right," Hinata said quietly. She sighed. "At least it w-worked out in the end."

"Yeah, I guess it did," said Naruto, suddenly subdued.

"Is Iruka-sensei going to be okay?"

"Gramps says he'll be fine," said Naruto, stirring his noodles. "I just— it all worked out, but I wish Iruka-sensei hadn't gotten hurt, you know?"

The three of them sat in silence in Ichiraku Ramen and thought about how badly everything could have gone.

"Bah, you kids, cut it out with the long faces," Teuchi said, showing up with three, very slightly filled glasses of sake, and one for himself. "Iruka-san's going to be okay, right? Then you learn from it and try not to make the same mistake in the future. In the meantime, you've graduated, and that's worth celebrating. Kampai!"

The three Academy graduates glanced at each other, taking the proffered glasses and raising them. "Kampai!"

"So you're meeting your jounin-sensei later, right?" said Teuchi. "Any idea who they are?"

"Nah, they said they'd tell us after we came back from lunch," said Naruto. "Something about team bonding or whatever."

"It is important for other teams," said Hinata. "S-since we already know each other, it is less so."

"Meh, I think they coulda just told us and then sent us off to lunch," said Naruto. He slurped up a bundle of noodles. "Like, it'd be cool, yanno?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," said Sayaka, poking Naruto in the arm.

Naruto made a noise but closed his mouth to finish chewing.

"Do you have any ideas, Hinata?" Sayaka asked.

Hinata shook her head. "That information is k-kept very secret."

"Tch," said Sayaka. She returned back to her ramen.

The group fell silent again, though this time it was a companionable one. The three of them had been through some interesting ups and some interesting downs in the last year. Hinata had started being formally trained as the heir to the Hyuuga clan, Sayaka had gotten into some serious trouble for burning down Training Ground 17, and Naruto was Naruto and therefore never far from trouble. They tried to help each other, often failing but often succeeding as well. It wasn't too surprising that they'd been grouped together after graduation.

Hinata had never confessed, and honestly it would have been a pretty huge scandal, so it was probably best that she hadn't. It didn't help that Naruto had taken a shine to Haruno Sakura, who was certainly cute in her own way and had ultimately outcompeted both Sayaka and Ino for the position of top kunoichi.

Sayaka told herself that it was because she couldn't be bothered to deal with flowers any longer. It definitely wasn't the fact that Sakura snapped up information like a steel trap and could talk about almost any lesson within the last three years with nearly perfect recall.

Sakura had in fact ended up on Team Eight, with Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino. It was a bit of an odd choice, since the other two were excellent trackers and Sakura had no natural talents in that field. But, she was intelligent and an excellent analyst, so it would probably be fine.

Which reminded Sayaka of the invitation sitting on her desk at home. It was her second arranged marriage request, this time from the Inuzuka Clan, with Kiba as the proposed match.

It was _extremely_ odd. She didn't know the boy very well, except that she might have broken his nose once by accident during sparring. She knew that he enjoyed Naruto's pranks and cut class with him frequently, but didn't actually participate in any pranking himself. He was temperamental, but friendly, so that people didn't usually shy away from him like they did to her. Reasonable grades, at least good enough to graduate, but not the most devoted student.

Well, hopefully, he had something to show her.

"It is nearly time to meet our sensei," Hinata said.

"Ah, crap, I guess we should get going," said Naruto, glancing up at the clock. "How's my tab goin', Teuchi-oji?"

"Eh, don't sweat this one," said Teuchi, waving him off. "Call it a graduation present, alright?"

"Gee, I dunno," said Naruto, wincing a little. "I kinda feel bad…"

"Nah, it's fine," said Teuchi waving the ladle for emphasis. "Your team too, alright? It's only a couple of yen, so don't worry too much. You'll be making mission pay soon enough anyway, so you can pay me back later if it really bothers you."

"Well, if you say so, then thanks Teuchi-oji!" said Naruto. He hopped off his stool and stretched, before pointing a finger towards the Academy. "Alright guys, let's go meet our jounin-sensei!"

* * *

"Team Seven is dangerous," said Danzo, looking out over Konoha with his hands folded behind him. "The last Uchiha, the Hyuuga heiress, _and_ our jinchuuriki? Separating them would have been wiser."

Hiruzen grunted, turning a page of his paperwork and reading through the boilerplate text. "Perhaps. But they would train together, regardless."

"Within Konoha, that is acceptable," said Danzo. "It is _outside_ of Konoha that worries me."

"You will not order ROOT to shadow their every move, I hope," said Hiruzen, looking up as he set the sheet of paper aside. "It would be a terrible waste."

"ROOT does not have those kinds of resources," said Danzo, snorting. "Even if we did, using them in that fashion would ultimately be counterproductive. For a tree to grow strong, it must first encounter adversity."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Ah, I remember that line well."

Danzo glanced at him, smiling minutely. "The Second was always full of wisdom."

"And additional training."

The two old men shared a laugh over that, recalling the Second Hokage's fondness for drills.

Hiruzen groaned as he stood, then walked over to stand next to Danzo. The window they both looked out of watched over Konoha's eastern side, with the village gates in the distance. The market district was busy this time of year. Strawberries and apples would be in season, and Hiruzen considered making a visit later to pick up a bag of them.

"Peace is a wonderful thing," Hiruzen said quietly. He pulled his pipe out from his sleeve and set about lighting it. "You are valuable, Danzo, but sometimes you make me sad. To look out at all this and see only the darkness that might snuff it out…"

"It is why we trained, wasn't it?" Danzo asked. "Why we fought? To ensure that those without the ability could live peacefully in the light, while we watched the shadows?"

Hiruzen took a long drag of his pipe, then slowly blew out a great cloud of smoke.

"Yes, it is," he said. "But the shadows are quiet today. The Cloud and Stone villages, despite our fears, have not acted on our vulnerabilities. They do not help, but they do not attack either. ROOT has not found a security breach in a year, nor have the ANBU."

"With ROOT being the lesser of the two?"

Hiruzen frowned at him. "Come now, Danzo, no need to dredge up old fights. We agreed that it was useful, even if I found your methods amoral and unethical."

Danzo huffed, but withdrew. "Regardless, you are correct that no breaches have been found. It is… almost unnaturally quiet."

"It is our duty to look this gift horse in the mouth," said Hiruzen. "But it is also our duty to exploit it, no? The members of Team Seven will be good for each other. Both girls will be a good influence on Naruto, giving him better judgment and tact."

"And quiet."

"That too," said Hiruzen, chuckling. "And both Sayaka and Hinata could use someone to force them to be more… well, less formal, shall we say."

"They are also very close to each other," Danzo said. "Hinata's childish infatuation with Naruto remains strong, and both Hinata and Naruto are the only friends the Uchiha truly has. Their emotions will cloud their judgment. It will be dangerous."

"Our emotions are also what give us the Will of Fire, Danzo," said Hiruzen. "Your fear for Konoha's destruction, of a return to chaos and anarchy, is what gives you your insight into the darkness of others, while my love for the people I lead is what allows me to fight for them even when all hope is lost. We do not discard our emotions, only temper them."

Danzo sighed. It was an uncomfortable truth. He was an old man now, but it still stung to hear his shortcomings, the things that Hiruzen called his strengths, spoken so plainly of.

"I am sorry, Danzo," Hiruzen said after a moment. "I did not mean to bring up old memories."

"It is nothing," said Danzo, swallowing his bitterness like a pill. "You are right, of course. And what of the children? What do you judge of them?"

"Ah, well, it is a bit early," said Hiruzen, "but I suspect that love, the fraternal kind, don't give me that look Danzo, will be what bonds them together. When you have people precious to you that you would do anything to protect, then the Will of Fire becomes an unstoppable maelstrom."

"If the peace holds."

"If the peace holds," agreed Hiruzen, nodding gravely. "It is a gamble, but the odds are not unfavorable, and we must ensure that the deck remains stacked against the will of our enemies. These walls will never be unbreachable, but we can at least ensure that those who breach them do not succeed in their aims."

Danzo sighed. "It is times like these that I wish I was your student. I could use a drink."

"Tea?" offered Hiruzen. A fresh pot appeared on his desk.

Danzo sighed. "Please."

* * *

Kakashi had been very late.

"Maa, well, I guess if I have to do this, I should get to know you a little," drawled Kakashi, slouching against the railing of the Academy rooftop. He was the most unkempt ninja Sayaka had ever seen. Had his clothes ever seen an iron? "I'll start. My name is Hatake Kakashi, jounin of the Leaf. My hobbies and likes are too mature for you, my dislikes are the same, and my dreams are none of your business. Now… how about you go first, Hyuuga."

Hinata eeped. "A-ah, um, m-my name is Hyuuga Hinata. My hobby is flower pressing. I like…" Hinata paused, flushing, then continued onwards, "I dislike s-seafood? My dream is, um, I suppose it is to b-become strong."

Kakashi regarded her with the one eye he left exposed in his outfit. The other was covered by his headband, which raised all sorts of questions.

"How incredibly uninteresting," Kakashi pronounced after a moment. "How—"

"Oi! Don't talk about Hinata-chan that way!" Naruto shouted, popping out of his seat angrily.

"Ara, then why don't you go next?" said Kakashi, folding his arms lazily and tilting his head. "I guess you like the color orange?"

"No! I mean, yes, but no!"

"What do you mean? Surely you must know your own likes and dislikes?"

"I do!"

"But you don't like orange?"

"I do like orange!"

"But you said you don't?"

"I— wait, I'm getting confused."

"Not surprising," Kakashi said dryly, before turning to Sayaka. "How about you, Uchiha?"

Sayaka bowed slightly from her seat. "My name is Uchiha Sayaka. I like fire and dislike marriage proposals. My hobby is training, and my dream is…"

Sayaka paused to consider the best phrasing.

"My dream is to honor my family's death," she decided.

"How incredibly morbid," said Kakashi. He turned back to Naruto. "Did you figure yourself out, loud and orange?"

Naruto growled at him but bit his tongue. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My hobbies are training and pranking. I like ramen, I dislike _you_, and my dream is to become Hokage one day."

"Hokage huh," said Kakashi, completely ignoring the jab even as Sayaka reached over and poked Naruto very hard in the arm. "Well, we'll see if that ever happens. In any case, with that over with, it's time I explained our next steps."

There was a beat.

"Wow, patience from Academy graduates?" Kakashi asked rhetorically. "Amazing. You three might be tolerable."

"What's that mean?!"

"And we're back to me hating you all," Kakashi sighed, looking up at the sky momentarily in apparent supplication to any watching kami. "I was going to say that graduating from the Academy isn't enough. Most any idiot can manage that."

He paused to look pointedly at Naruto, who bristled.

"Each Jounin Sensei is given discretion to test his or her new team as they see fit," Kakashi continued, putting his hands in his pockets. He sighed. "It's annoying, but yours will be given at 6AM tomorrow morning. If you pass, you become genin. If you don't, you go back to the Academy."

"What?! You can't do that!"

"Of course I can," said Kakashi, looking over at Naruto and somehow making the orange-suited blonde flinch. "These are orders from the Hokage after all."

"Is there anything we should do to prepare for the test?" Sayaka interjected before Naruto could yell again.

"No," said Kakashi. He smiled and clapped his hands together. "It's a surprise! The only advice I'll give is: don't eat breakfast. You'll just throw it back up."

Then with a flicker of chakra and a swirl of leaves, Kakashi disappeared.

"What," said Naruto, "a _massive_ asshole."

"Naruto."

"It's true though!"

Hinata sighed. "H-he is still our sensei," she said. "We must s-show respect."

Sayaka didn't say anything, but turned to give Hinata a look.

"Sayaka."

"Mm," Sayaka emoted, turning back and looking up at the sky again.

The team fell silent as the last of the leaves Hatake Kakashi had used in his Shunshin whisked off the Academy rooftop on a passing breeze.

"We should talk to Hiroyo," said Sayaka, standing up and smoothing down her skirt. "We need information."

"It's really weird that you're wearing skirts now," Naruto said as they stood up.

"You said that already. _Months ago_."

"That just means it's extra weird!"

Sayaka rolled her eyes and ignored him. To the rest of the world, the day that Sayaka had shown up to class in something cute had been jarring, to say the least. Everyone still remembered the prickly girl who wore pants and training gear and could knock you down in two seconds flat. Just about every boy in class felt the need to test the waters a little, if only out of curiosity.

Sayaka grinned. Right, that had been the day she'd punched Kiba in the nose. He thought that since he'd turned twelve, that made him a man or something. Moron.

"Will you be changing your clothes for the test tomorrow?" Hinata asked. "If it involves any fighting…"

"Eh, maybe, maybe not," said Sayaka. "I wear shorts underneath, anyway."

"You should totally hide, like, smoke bombs or something then," said Naruto as they made their way down the stairs. "That's what I would do if I were a girl."

Sayaka considered this. "I could, that's true," she said. "Maybe ninja wire instead? It's light and wouldn't change the way the skirt moves."

"You already have tons of ninja wire though."

"More isn't _bad_."

"But you don't _need_ more, so pick something else!"

"Mmn."

Naruto rolled his eyes at her and shoved his hands in his pockets. Hinata hid a smile behind her hand. Some things never changed.

* * *

Hiroyo hadn't had any useful information, unfortunately, at least not about what Kakashi-sensei might have in store for them. She knew of Kakashi, since he was apparently quite infamous amongst the older ninja, but she knew nothing of his training practices, except that, despite Kakashi's advice, skipping breakfast was probably a bad idea.

"Jounin, especially jounin who grew up fighting in the last war, do this sort of thing," she said. "It's just misdirection. Eat something light, but eat something, or else you won't have the energy to complete the test."

This left the team clueless and with nothing to do but prepare. Training just before a mission was a bad idea, which meant that the team loitered around Sayaka's apartment for a while before finally heading home to pack for whatever it was that Kakashi had in store for them.

Sayaka decided against spare ninja wire in her skirt, and stuck with what she could fit in her pouch. It probably wasn't going to be some kind of months-long wilderness survival mission either, so just enough weaponry to fight a particularly long fight was probably sufficient.

Then she did a chakra control exercise and went to bed.

The next morning dawned unnaturally warm.

"This sucks," Naruto groused as he, Sayaka, and Hinata settled in to wait at Training Ground Three. It was one of the smaller training grounds, but had a wide variety of terrain that made it suited to sparring practice. A river ran across one end, while the other was a small clearing surrounded by trees, with some kind of monument in the middle.

"It is very early," said Hinata. She passed out a thermos of tea, which the other two gratefully drank while the sun slowly crept over the horizon.

"Didya bring smoke bombs, Sayaka?"

"No."

"Aww, why not?"

Sayaka shrugged. "I couldn't figure out how to hide them."

"Bah, I coulda done it."

"Well if you want to get dressed up in a skirt to figure it out…"

Naruto seriously considered this. "Actually, with Sexy Jutsu—"

Sayaka threw a pebble that bounced off Naruto's head. "Perv. Why are we friends with you?"

"Okay okay, but with Transformation at least it wouldn't be that hard," said Naruto, rubbing his head. "Like, the problem is that skirts go swish, right?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes at Naruto. "That's not even close to all the problems," she said. "Just drop it Naruto."

Naruto made an irritated noise and flopped back against the training post he was sitting in front of. Hinata patted his shoulder comfortingly.

The morning stretched on towards lunch time. At some point, Naruto fell asleep.

Then Kakashi appeared with a thunderclap that startled all three of them and made Naruto pop up like a wind-up toy.

"You're late!" Naruto shouted, pointing an accusing finger. "What's the big idea, huh? It's been hours!"

"Maa maa, I got lost on the road of life," Kakashi said cheerfully. "It's really quite fascinating. You should try it sometime!"

Sayaka threw another pebble at Naruto before he could shout something profane and disrespectful, then bowed to Kakashi with Hinata. "Good morning, sensei," they said together. Naruto grudgingly followed their lead.

"My my, such polite little students," Kakashi said. "You almost make me feel bad for this."

He paused, thinking over what he had just said.

"Actually, not really, I've killed enough wannabe ninja your size to be dead to guilt by now," said Kakashi, shrugging. He pulled a pair of bells out of his waist pouch. "Let's get on with it then. Your mission today is to take one of these bells. Those who manage to get the bells are officially genin! Those who don't get sent back to the Academy. Or the morgue."

Sayaka gave Hinata an unsettled look. It wasn't… really possible that a Konoha jounin would just kill them, right?

Hinata looked back with unsure eyes.

Naruto was oblivious to it all.

"Fine!" he shouted. "We'll take your stupid test and get those stupid bells and then go and kick the ass of stupid people like you! Bring it on!"

"Naruto…"

"Ara, I hadn't expected to enjoy this test so much!" Kakashi said cheerfully. The atmosphere abruptly changed as he glared at them. "You have until noon, which is in half an hour. Come at me with intent to kill, or you're sure to fail. Begin."

There was usually no plan with Naruto. Sayaka and Hinata both retreated as Naruto went for his classic flying tackle, Kakashi dodging it with contemptuous ease. A small orange book appeared as Naruto made another failed attempt. Kakashi seemed to be… reading while dodging Naruto's attempts at an attack.

"Okay, so, step one is get the bells," Sayaka said, taking a deep breath as she dropped behind a tree with Hinata. "Step two is… later."

Hinata ignored step two as well. "The Gentle F-fist is good at disabling stronger opponents."

"Then you go in for taijutsu, I'll try and herd him with fire techniques?"

Hinata nodded. "I will try my best."

"Then the only question is what to do about Naruto."

"Mm, yes, what _to_ do about Naruto?" asked Kakashi, plopping his head on one hand. "Tell me more about your plan."

Sayaka and Hinata both screamed, leaping out from the trees. Naruto turned in surprise as Sayaka blasted the trees with a Grand Fireball before landing in a crouch, Hinata beside her.

"Ara, you shouldn't lose focus," said Kakashi. Naruto whirled in place just in time to get punted into the river. "First lesson: Taijutsu!"

"Damn," Sayaka said, twisting to stand back to back with Hinata as she watched Naruto go howling into the water.

"Byakugan!" Hinata intoned. "Naruto is f-fine. Sensei is… left!"

Sayaka whirled, wires springing to life in her hand. "Dragon Fire Jutsu!"

Kakashi dropped to the ground as the flaming wires whipped through the air, their ends weighted with shuriken, then leaped forward and underneath Sayaka's guard. The first impact knocked the breath out of her, and the second sent her skidding across the ground.

"Second lesson," Kakashi began, even as Hinata's hands flared with chakra and raced for him. "Genjutsu!"

Kakashi flickered, and was replaced by Naruto at the very last second. Hinata watched in horror as her palm sent a spike of chakra into the top of Naruto's chest. His eyes went wide in pain as his internal organs spasmed, the chakra spike overloading them, before—

Hinata gasped as Sayaka hauled her to her feet, a massive fire flickering out in the background. "It's just a genjutsu, Hinata!" Sayaka hissed. "Naruto's fine! Where is Kakashi?"

Hinata took a steadying breath. "Six o'clock, high!"

Sayaka turned again, throwing a spread of kunai while Hinata raised her hands again. She was not as skilled as her sister or her cousin, but she would do her best.

"Better than expected, but not good enough," Kakashi said in midair. "Third lesson: Nin—!"

"MASS SHADOW CLONES!"

A small tsunami of bright orange rugby-tackled a small log as Naruto, soaked to the skin, landed next to Sayaka and Hinata.

"You guys okay?" he asked while rubbing his rear with a wince. "That jerk got me good, but he didn't figure on the Shadow Clone!"

"What— that's not an Academy technique," said Sayaka as the team settled into a three-point defensive formation.

"Nah, I learned it from that scroll before Iruka showed up."

"You _what?!_"

"It's fine, I have the chakra to pull it off," said Naruto. He pulled a kunai from his pouch. "Yell at me later, where's the dickhead?"

"Circling," Hinata said. "I'm not sure w-why."

"The mission is to get the bells," said Sayaka. "He should be running away."

"B-but it is still a test," said Hinata. "H-he is probably waiting to s-see if we can find him."

"And what we do about it," said Naruto. "Damn it, I hate tests."

"We will do our best," Hinata said quietly.

"Hell yeah we will."

"We need to pin him down," said Sayaka. "He's faster than us, so—"

"Shadow clones can do that," said Naruto. "He can't dodge fifty of me!"

"Fifty times zero is still zero," said Kakashi from inside their circle. "Third lesson: Ninjutsu!"

And then everything went dark.

* * *

"Maa, maa, that was shockingly pitiful," said Kakashi later when they woke up, each of them tied to a different training post, heads throbbing and foggy from their brief unconsciousness. "The Instant Knockout technique isn't even that strong. Well, I guess that's what happens when you use it against two girls and a deadlast."

Sayaka stifled her fury and tried to think about how to escape. She was missing her weapons, her arms were bound together with no leverage, but her legs were free. Maybe she could shimmy her way out?

"Now, normally, I'd just fail you all," said Kakashi with a clap of his hands, "but since I'm such a nice guy, and because the Hokage makes me, I'll give you guys a way out."

Even Naruto gave him a skeptical look. Good, he had learned from the Mizuki affair.

"Here's the deal," Kakashi began. "Since dealing with three genin would be super irritating, I'm willing to pass two of you for free! All you have to do is pick which one to send back to the Academy. The remaining two get to keep their genin registration cards, easy peasy."

"What's the catch?" Naruto asked, squinting at him suspiciously.

"No catch!" Kakashi said cheerfully. "I just hate kids, but since the Hokage is making me do this, two brats is better than three."

"No deal," Sayaka said immediately. "Nobody makes that kind of proposal without a catch."

"Well, I'm one of the best jounin in Konoha," said Kakashi with a shrug. "So sure, the training will be brutal. But you know, if you're afraid, or don't think being the best is all that important…"

Sayaka choked back her anger again and struggled to maintain her composure. She focused on her breathing: in, two, three, four—

"I'll do it then," said Naruto, scowling at Kakashi. "I'll only be like a semester behind, anyway, so who cares if I go back?"

Hinata looked stricken. Sayaka grit her teeth and very, very carefully began moulding her chakra. The training post was too big for handsigns, but if she was lucky…

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked, raising his one visible eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's fine," said Naruto, voice catching in his throat as he made furious eye contact with Kakashi. "H-Hinata has clan stuff, and so does S-Sayaka. Hokage c-can wait a semester."

"Well if that's really the case…" said Kakashi, drawing out the pause. "You all pass!"

Sayaka twitched as the ropes binding them fell away.

"Wait— what?" Naruto asked, scrubbing at his eyes furiously. "What the _hell_ do you mean, we pass? And what the _fuck_ was with all that shit you said?!"

"I'm sorry for saying hurtful things," Kakashi said, bowing deeply at the three of them. "But to be a ninja is to fight with your body _and_ your mind. Please, allow me to explain."

Kakashi stood to attention, feet shoulder-width apart and hands behind his back.

"The Bell Test is an old tradition, dating to the founding of Konoha," he began, speaking with a sharp and clear tone that rang out in the training ground. "The goal is to test the ability of the genin team to work together under duress. For children, the threat of going back to the Academy is usually sufficient to cause significant internal strife. Usually, each of the students will attempt to get a bell on their own and, of course, fail."

He paused, glancing at the three of them to make sure they followed.

"However, this team was originally selected precisely because you three all know each other, and would potentially have better teamwork from the very beginning," Kakashi continued. "Because of this, it was important to stress you and your relationship. Teamwork when calm is all well and good, but it is meaningless if teamwork breaks down under stress."

"Is that all?" Sayaka asked sarcastically. "And I suppose you're about to say that yesterday was an act too?"

"…yes," said Kakashi, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "It was necessary to preserve the illusion."

Sayaka took a deep breath, held it, then breathed back out. "You should apologize to Hinata."

Kakashi winced beneath his mask, then turned and bowed deeply to Hinata. "My apologies, Hyuuga-san. I was very rude to you yesterday."

Hinata seemed entirely unsure how to react to an adult bowing to her, but returned the bow. "U-um, well, n-no apologies are n-necessary?"

"I assure you, they are," said Sayaka, folding her arms. "As is ramen for Naruto. You're paying sensei. For _everything_."

* * *

Hinata was a very forgiving sort of person, and getting into, or back into, in this case, Naruto's good graces was as easy as emptying your wallet to feed his ramen addiction. They were both people that were easy to get along with, if for entirely opposite reasons. So when lunch was over and Kakashi had paid for Naruto's stack of ramen bowls, both of Sayaka's teammates had largely forgiven him.

Sayaka was not so quick to forgive. It was honestly fairly surprising that she got along with either of her two friends. So she made a distinct point to show up to team training the next day with a scarecrow purchased from the village shops. It had been easy enough for a girl of her skills to dress it up very similarly to their sensei. Carrying it to the little red bridge that Kakashi had specified was a little awkward, but only because a life-size scarecrow attracted quite a lot of attention.

"U-um, w-why are you carrying t-that?" Hinata asked softly as Sayaka set it down with a thunk.

"Motivation," Sayaka said, before helping herself to Hinata's thermos of tea.

Naruto showed up soon afterwards, and the trio spent a moment trying to wake up before getting to their feet to spar for lack of anything better to do. Sayaka had a suspicion that Kakashi would be late, again, if only to try and force the genin to get some training done early and ensure plenty of time for missions in the afternoon.

It was somewhat unnecessary. Hinata had known that Naruto and Sayaka trained frequently, but the sheer extent had surprised her.

"Show us that shadow clone you pulled out yesterday," Sayaka said as she set the scarecrow up in a clearing. "Is it really a forbidden technique?"

"Well, when I asked Gramps about it, he said the big thing was that it needed lots of chakra, and if you screwed it up you basically died instantly," said Naruto, raising his hands. "But of the ones on the list, it wasn't really the worst, so he sort of let it go."

Sayaka and Hinata gave each other looks of quiet horror but kept their silence as Naruto shouted: "SHADOW CLONE TECHNIQUE!"

The volume of the shout seemed to correlate with the number of clones, because the clearing was suddenly full of twenty Narutos, each getting in another's way.

"That's too many," Sayaka said. "Can you dismiss them?"

There was a cloud of smoke, that cleared to leave five Narutos, plus the original.

"So the shadow clone's basically like any other bunshin," Naruto explained, "except—"

"—you can totally transmit thoughts, like this," said another, "which is super weird—"

"—oh right Gramps said something about losing your mind too," one of the Narutos mentioned.

"—yeah yeah, but anyway, the point is that a shadow clone's different 'cause you can punch and hit things with it," finished Naruto. "So if clone-me takes out a kunai—"

The clone in question drew a knife and threw it at the Kakashi-scarecrow. It thunked into the lower abdomen.

"And then if he pops—"

The kunai disappeared with the clone, but the hole in the cloth remained.

"….interesting," said Sayaka. She sat down and crossed her legs, thinking. Then she twisted around to give Naruto a look of shock and exasperation. "Wait, losing your mind? What does that mean?"

"Oh, yeah, so, like, if you screw up dismissing the clones, _apparently_ you might forget which one of you is the clone or something," said Naruto, rolling his eyes. "And some people's clones get all uppity about dying or something which is stupid but whatever I guess."

"You are completely insane," Sayaka pronounced. "This is a technique that causes insanity and death if misused, and you're acting like it's nothing special."

"Ehhhh but like, it's really not that hard?" Naruto said. "You just sort of go—"

He waved his hand and two more clones appeared, striking poses.

Sayaka groaned and buried her face in her hands. Hinata very carefully didn't say anything and activated her Byakugan.

"The clones have a chakra system j-just like Naruto's," she said. "It is an exact replica."

"They can mould chakra then."

"Yes."

"Well then, we should spar," said Sayaka, standing and brushing her skirt off.

Hinata stepped aside as Sayaka slipped into a ready stance.

Naruto grinned. "Ready?"

"Try to come up with a plan this time," said Sayaka. "Instead of just tackling me."

"Alright, if you're sure!"

The spar began with Naruto and two of his clones leading charge straight down the middle. The other three circled around, trying to form a classic hammer and anvil formation. Sayaka pursed her lips and deepened her stance. Then, as Naruto closed for a punch, Sayaka jumped over him.

It wasn't like Naruto's taijutsu was even that bad anymore. He was still unlearning years of bad habits, but he was a credible threat to Sayaka—if she wasn't trying. He still telegraphed his hits far, far too much. Naruto sailed underneath her, yelping as he tumbled into the ground, then yelped again as Sayaka's practice kunai beaned him in the skull. The other two clones managed to dodge, so Sayaka only had enough time to bring her arms up before the clones were attacking her.

It required a little work to actually emerge unscathed, slipping to the side here and ducking there, before she was able to trip one of the clones and slam her knee into the back of its head. It popped with a yelp, and Sayaka turned to smack the second clone with a roundhouse but ducked a practice kunai instead.

Hmm. Three clones, and Naruto, was definitely a problem.

"Time!" Sayaka called, ducking to the side. "I yield."

Naruto blinked at her. "What? Why? We didn't even get to do anything!"

Sayaka twitched a shoulder. "Four of you is hard. I don't want to use Dragon Fire on you."

Naruto frowned, dismissing his clones, then cocked his head, before finally breaking into a grin. "I guess I'm finally a match for you, huh Sayaka?"

Sayaka snorted. "In your dreams. Go fight Hinata."

The spar against the Gentle Fist was much more decisive. Hinata popped the clones with ease, flitting back and forth like a butterfly on the breeze. It was impossible for Naruto to catch her, if only because every time he did she would paralyze a limb.

"Jeez, Hinata-chan, your taijutsu hurts," Naruto said, rubbing his arm as Hinata unblocked his tenketsu and feeling slowly returned to his fingers. After a moment, he flexed them and turned to her with a smile. "It really is amazing how easy you make it look."

Hinata flushed and ducked her head. "T-thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Arara, you're all very busy this morning," Kakashi said, crouched on a nearby tree branch. The jounin gave them all a very deep, considering look, then glanced at the scarecrow. "Ne, Sayaka, is that supposed to be me?"

"Yes," said Sayaka, folding her arms. "I was hoping to light it on fire sometime today."

"Maa, well, I suppose that's fair," Kakashi said, swinging down from his tree. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, then seemed to reach a decision and sat down. "Well, kids, take a seat."

There were a series of raised eyebrows, but the genin complied.

"There are some things that we need to talk about," Kakashi began. "I mentioned yesterday that Team Seven was assembled because your instructors noticed that you three might work well together. I am pleased to say that your performance has confirmed this. Do you understand _why_ this was such a strong factor in your team placement?"

The three of them glanced at each other, then shook their heads.

Kakashi nodded. "I thought not. As you know, missions are always run in teams. The Hokage assigns missions to ninja based on what he knows of their abilities and how good they are at working together. To do well, a team must have trust in each other's abilities and their judgment, and be familiar with how every other member works and thinks. This is something that you three already have. Somewhat."

Sayaka, Naruto, and Hinata looked at each other again. It was true that they knew each other well and had trained together frequently. Or rather, Sayaka was constantly training, Naruto never turned down a chance to train, and Hinata was always along for the ride.

"Is it really so important?" Sayaka asked. "There are other teams not like us."

"They will learn, eventually," said Kakashi. "You have a small advantage, but it is not enough. A team needs more than familiarity with each other to be successful. In battle, your team is the most important thing in your life. You eat together, sleep together, fight together, and, if it comes to it, you will die together. This means that you must have absolute trust in each other."

He paused.

"Yesterday, I was very harsh on you," he said after a moment. "It will not get much better from here. Now that you are part of my squad, my goal is to make sure that _all four of us_ succeed as a team. I am your squad leader, and your superior in skill and experience, and so it falls to me to lead and to teach you. I want you to trust and depend on me, as I will trust and depend on you. Is that understood?"

The three genin looked at each other again. It was a very serious talk for something that, to them, seemed not terribly serious. But it seemed important to Kakashi, so…

"Yes, sensei," the three of them said together.

"Good," said Kakashi. He pulled out a scroll and unfurled it onto the ground. "Today we will conduct several different trust exercises. After yesterday, I expect you are all either slightly afraid of me or want to burn my corpse in effigy." He paused to eye Sayaka. "But, sensei is here to help you, not to hurt you, so we will begin there."

"Have you ever learned how to jump off a building?"

* * *

Kakashi's method of building trust between the team and himself apparently involved each member jumping off of higher and higher objects and trusting that he would catch them. At first it had been very silly, and Sayaka had been treated to the slightly absurd sight of Hinata dangling from Kakashi's hands, toes just clear of the water underneath the bridge that she had just jumped off of.

Sayaka had to admit that it was very hard to allow herself to fall without even trying to brace for the landing. It had gotten worse when Kakashi had her fall _backwards_ off of the bridge, and for a brief moment she was sure that Kakashi was going to miss, but then a pair of very strong arms had plucked her from the air and carried her princess-style back to the bank.

That had made her feel very weird.

The next step was apparently to jump off of the tallest tree in the area. It was over three stories high, just enough that it would break her legs if she landed wrong, and definitely way too high for her to want to jump off of and trust in the mercies of someone else.

So Kakashi had taught them how to use their chakra to disperse the energy of landing and how to orient themselves to land properly. It had involved him ferrying them up to the lower branches and having them drop off backwards, twisting in midair, and then landing as gently as possible. It wasn't the most difficult thing in the world, and both Hinata and Sayaka had picked it up easily. Naruto had more trouble because of his poor chakra control, and he had a tendency to blow up the ground on landing.

"On the one hand," Kakashi had said dryly after the fifth explosion. "That's probably a useful combat technique. On the other hand, you'll end up telling everyone within five hundred meters where you are. So let's try again."

In the end, all of them had mastered the technique, which left them with only jumping off of the top of the tree and waiting for Kakashi to catch them.

"Are you ready?" Kakashi called up to Sayaka.

"Yes," Sayaka called back, trying very hard to pretend that this was fine and she wasn't scared.

"On your own time."

Sayaka took a deep breath, counted to three, then jumped backwards off the tree. Just enough force to get her clear of the branches, but not enough to launch her into the next one. Then came the fall and the rush of wind and Sayaka was getting very sure that the ground was _right there—_

Kakashi's arms wrapped around her like an iron vice and she stifled a squeak as they landed softly on the ground.

"There, not so bad, right?" Kakashi asked as he gently let her down. "Are you alright?"

Sayaka swallowed and straightened her skirt. "Yes, sensei."

"Did you have fun?"

Sayaka made a kind of strangled noise.

"Good enough," said Kakashi with a chuckle before patting her on the head. "Who should go next, do you think? Hinata?"

"Maybe Naruto," Sayaka said.

"Ah. Good choice."

And so it had continued until lunch, and Sayaka did actually find jumping off of the tree kind of fun. They transitioned eventually to landing on their own, then from tree to tree, which had rapidly turned into tree-hopping tag, which was a little dangerous because if they slipped it would hurt a _lot_,but they stayed out of the high trees and they weren't very fast yet, so the worst that would happen was a very large bruise.

"Alright, go get lunch," said Kakashi after they had finished for the morning. "Today was pretty light, so don't get used to it. We'll do a few D-ranks this afternoon, and then tomorrow we'll try something different."

"Yes sensei," the three genin chorused.

Kakashi smiled at them, then disappeared in a whirl of leaves. There was a moment of silence as the breeze carried the leaves away.

"I feel like a dog," Naruto remarked.

"Same."

"M-me too."

"Onigiri?" Sayaka asked. "We had ramen yesterday."

"Sure," said Naruto. "You okay with that, Hinata-chan?"

"Y-yes."

"Cool! Then let's go get some food."


	3. Chapter 3

New genin did D-rank missions.

This was a statement of fact, not opinion. Knowing this, however, did not prepare Sayaka for being asked to help at the fish market the next day.

"Alright, welcome to Konoha Central Fish Market!" Foreman Ono shouted over the noise of fish being carted in at five in the morning from his small platform overlooking the proceedings at the edge of the market. "We got a hell of a day ahead of us! First things first, you'll want these!"

He passed out small, genin-sized waders and rubber gloves. Kakashi received his own adult-sized set.

"Go ahead and put those on! Now, April is a pretty good month, there's lots of good fish coming down the river! Your big task today is to get fish from the dock to the vendors without losing any of it. We want to get everything in before the market opens at ten. You'll be working with Takayama— OI TAKAYAMA!"

A bald man with a bandanna tied around his head and chomping a cigar looked up. "WHADDYA WANT, ONO?"

"SAY HI TO THE GREENHORNS."

"GOOD FUCKING MORNING GREENHORNS!" Takayama shouted before turning, yelling something at a passing worker, and returning his attention to Foreman Ono. "THEY WORKING WITH ME TODAY ONO?"

"AYE."

"WELL FUCK ME WITH A CUTTLEFISH. SEND 'EM DOWN THEN."

"Right, Takayama's a specialty retailer for a lot of the high-end restaurants," said Foreman Ono, turning back to Team Seven, who had managed to get dressed with minimal drama. Kakashi had managed it without being seen doing it, somehow. "Y'all head out now."

Navigating to where Takayama was working was a surprising challenge. The ground was wet and slippery, making running nearly impossible.

"Ach, fresh outta the Academy eh?" Takayama grunted as he looked them over. "Right, Jounin-san, you head out to the boat and we'll get you sorted."

Kakashi glanced at his genin. "Be good."

"Yes sensei."

Kakashi vanished.

"You're a Hyuuga, yeah?" Takayama said, nodding at Hinata. "We'll put you on fish inspection and retail with Haruhi over there."

Hinata glanced over at the grumpy looking old lady and nodded. "Y-yes sir."

"You two… we'll have you work with Yoko hauling and lifting boxes," Takayama finished, looking to Naruto and Sayaka and pointing them towards a chunin with a jar of ink on a sling and a brush. He waved.

"Yes sir," said Sayaka and Naruto together.

Naruto turned and slapped Hinata encouragingly on the shoulder. "Good luck, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata flushed and smiled at him from under her bangs. "T-thank you Naruto-kun. Y-you too!"

Sayaka glanced at Takayama. They agreed: Hinata really needed to just ask Naruto out, sooner rather than later.

"Let's get going," Sayaka said, nodding at Hinata once before setting out towards the chunin.

Kumada Yoko was apparently a common fixture in Konoha Central Fish Market. She was a seal specialist, mostly with demolitions, but worked at the fish market placing refrigeration seals on the boxes of fish when she wasn't in demand for blowing something up.

Since neither Sayaka nor Naruto had any experience writing seals, they were sent to the crating area next to the docks to haul boxes of fish and shellfish to Yoko. The fish arrived in Konoha on river barges in holds full of water, kept alive with special seals on the hull. Each barge held about 100 kilograms worth of fish. Fish were offloaded using large nets or, when a jounin like Kakashi was around, using a carefully controlled water jutsu. Naruto and Sayaka would be hauling small crates on wheelbarrows, carrying five boxes each load, totaling about ten kilograms. Just over one hundred and thirty barrow-loads of fish would be offloaded that morning, sorted, and packaged for retail.

Yoko called it a "light day" when they took a break at seven for breakfast.

"The markets in the south of Fire Country are much larger," Yoko said as they made their way through bowls of rice topped with slices of sashimi. "They got a lot more to do. With Hatake-san's help, we've got most of our loading and sealing done, so it's mostly just sorting and clean up now."

Sayaka and Naruto were passed to Hinata when they finished eating, supervised under Haruhi-san's watchful eye as she explained how to pick out the best fish of the day, which ones were no good, and which ones they would trade with other fish sellers for favors or other product.

"T-takayama-san wants me to h-help him pick out fish from other v-vendors," Hinata said as they got started sorting the fish. "S-so Haruhi-san will s-supervise you."

Haruhi-san was much less grumpy than she appeared, delivering sharp but clear instructions as Sayaka and Naruto got used to the pace. Somehow, it was already eight-thirty, with little time left before they would need to clean up the stall and get it ready for the market. Yoko stopped by to say goodbye around nine, having finished the last of the boxes that Hinata and Takayama had brought back. Naruto was sent off to haul the boxes of fish that Takayama had negotiated in return for what he had received while Hinata and Haruhi finished sorting and Sayaka was placed on clean up duty.

"Ah, always good to get a team with more girls than boys," Takayama remarked with satisfaction as he looked over the shopfront. It had been wiped down and the boxes of fish labeled with Sayaka's neat calligraphy. "Good work, Uchiha-san. Us menfolk are always at a disadvantage at making the shop look good for business."

Sayaka bowed. "Thank you sir. I'm sure you would do better, if you had the time."

Takayama laughed. "Ah, maybe when I am old and my children are old enough to run the rest of the shop for me. My boy Takashi's just turned 10, so it'll be a while. Maybe I can get you to stay on permanently eh?"

Sayaka bowed again. "I am afraid I must decline, but thank you for the offer, sir."

Naruto's return concluded the team's mission, and Takayama sent them off with a katsuo fish that had gotten somewhat squashed, but was entirely edible. Team Seven decided to use it for an early lunch and headed to one of the many restaurants that lined the market which would cook your fish for you.

"Well, team, cheers," said Kakashi as he raised his cup of tea. "D-rank, complete."

Team Seven sent up a ragged, muted cheer.

"That was, like, the opposite of a cool mission," Naruto mumbled, laying his head on his arms tiredly. "So early!"

"Well, you know, ninja have lots of early days and late nights," said Kakashi, settling in with his book that had appeared like magic. His teacup mysteriously had lost some liquid when nobody was looking.

"At least it was just carrying boxes," said Sayaka. Her lips thinned. "Though I wish I didn't smell like fish."

"Yeah, but fightin's cooler," Naruto said, turning his head to look at Sayaka. "I wish we coulda got some bandits or something. That'd have been cool!"

"For a D-rank? In a manga, maybe."

"It could happen!"

"U-um, well, K-Konoha is very secure," said Hinata, smiling softly from behind her teacup. "So I t-think it would be hard for that to h-happen."

"The barges are actually escorted in," said Kakashi, turning a page. "It's a pretty common C-rank mission for new chunin these days. In times of war, the barges are guarded by jounin, since they're a key supply line and can be exploited."

"Why not just go by roads then?" asked Naruto. "Cause, like, they'd be easier to guard, right?"

"Not really," said Kakashi. "The roads are slower and you can't carry as much, so you end up with more convoys and more chances to get hit. Each cart is smaller, of course, so you can defend it more easily than a barge, but the barge only needs one trip and can finish it faster. Unless you're convinced that none of your barges will survive, it's almost always better to use a barge for large-scale logistics."

Naruto squinted at him and tilted his head over to the other side. There was a moment as he attempted to process Kakashi's statements.

"Nope, fuck that," Naruto groaned, burying his head in his arms all over again. "Too tired. Try again later."

Sayaka rolled her eyes as Hinata giggled and Kakashi sighed. It wasn't _that_ hard a concept, was it?

Naruto did actually fall asleep for a few minutes before their fish arrived. Sayaka had to poke him awake to let the server set their food down. Their katsuo was not salvageable for sashimi, its flesh crushed a bit too much, but it was perfectly serviceable for being grilled whole. Lunch was thus spent picking apart the carcass over seemingly-endless bowls of rice. Naruto surprised everyone by being remarkably good at peeling open the head and scooping out the meat inside.

"The eyes are really good too," Naruto commented around a wad of rice. "They're super fatty, it's like eating a piece of chashu pork. Not as good as ramen, obviously, but…"

Hinata giggled, Sayaka rolled her eyes, and Kakashi flipped a page in his book.

It was interesting watching Kakashi eat. Bits of fish would periodically end up in his rice bowl, then disappear. The servers seemed to be used to this, and bowls of rice would occasionally appear as if they were casually in the area and happened to be distracted by a passing bird, only to be summarily demolished by Kakashi between the turn of a page.

"Ne, Kaka-sensei, what's with the mask?" Naruto asked eventually as he used a chopstick to crack open the fish's skull. "Why do you wear it?"

"Why _not_ wear a mask?" Kakashi asked without looking up from his book. "It's a pretty good mask. Nice, breathable fabric."

"Yeah, but like, it's also weird as fuck, yanno?"

Hinata reached over to poke Naruto. "Y-you shouldn't call our sensei w-weird, Naruto-kun."

"The mask also helps cover up my skin on assassination missions," said Kakashi. "Along with my forehead protector and some long gloves, it ends up working very well."

"You're not doing them _now_ though," said Naruto. "So you should take the mask off, right?"

Kakashi shrugged and turned the page of his novel. "It's a habit, I guess."

"You must have done a lot of assassinations," Sayaka said. She took a sip of tea.

"I've done a few," said Kakashi. He looked up at Sayaka with his one exposed eye over the top of his book, apparently waiting to see what she would say.

Sayaka returned the look, setting her teacup down and steepling her fingers. Naruto seemed entirely oblivious to the sudden change of mood, while Hinata glanced between Sayaka and Kakashi nervously. "A few" was probably an understatement, Sayaka thought, and she wondered for a moment if she should ask more about them. What they were like, how they worked, and most importantly, what it was like killing someone. But…

"What other missions have you done?" asked Sayaka, breaking her gaze by picking up her chopsticks to get more fish. "A jounin's duties must span a wide variety of situations."

"They do," said Kakashi, returning to his novel as if nothing had happened. "Sabotage, intel gathering, you know. The sort of thing that Naruto thinks is cool."

"It is!" Naruto said with his mouth full. He swallowed noisily. "Blowing stuff up is the coolest! You just put some seals on the thing and run away and it goes KABOOM."

"It also requires a lot of paperwork," Kakashi continued dryly. "Mission reports for demolition missions can span over fifty pages between you and your teammates."

Naruto made a face of utter horror. "N-no way. Something that lame can't be true…"

"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," said Kakashi. He turned the page of his novel. "This is true for kunai and for missions. The cooler the mission, the worse the paperwork."

"Then, if you're Hokage…?" Sayaka asked.

"Oh, the Third spends most of his day doing paperwork," said Kakashi blithely, apparently unaware of Naruto's paling expression. "The Hokage's most important weapon, the one tool he relies on above all others, even his elite jounin…"

Kakashi paused, looking up and making eye contact with a sweating Naruto.

"…is the pen he signs documents with."

Naruto fell to his knees, hands trembling, and raised his head to the sky.

"Nooooooooooooooo!"

* * *

After getting scolded for making a scene, Team Seven finished their meal and headed out.

"Team training tomorrow," Kakashi said as he tucked his book away. "We got an early start today so the rest of the day is yours. Get an early night, maybe."

Kakashi vanished between blinks of an eye, leaving the three genin outside the fish market.

"Well, I'm going to go take a bath," said Sayaka, sniffing at her clothes with distaste. "And do laundry."

"Wanna head to a bathhouse then?" Naruto asked, glancing around at the landmarks. "I think there's one that way."

"There's a closer one over here though," Sayaka asked, nodding at a sign down the street.

"I… may have pranked that one once," said Naruto, wincing. "It wasn't anything _too_ bad but…"

Sayaka sighed. "Why, Naruto."

"I stopped!"

Sayaka grumbled some more but dropped the subject. Naruto's past antics had been swiftly kiboshed between Sayaka's liberal use of ninja wire and Hinata's quiet disapproval, both of which wrapped him up like ramen around a chopstick and left him in a sack under the bed. This didn't ameliorate old grudges, however.

"L-let's get going," said Hinata. "N-Naruto-kun, do you know the way?"

"Yeah, here, I'll show you," said Naruto, leading them towards the un-pranked bathhouse. "Besides, this one is pretty good. The tub's nice and wide so you got space to spread out, or I guess it is on the men's side at least, and they have this really nice yogurt drink you can get afterwards in the cafe out back."

"What does it taste like?" Sayaka asked.

"Eh, it's hard to describe?" Naruto said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "It's tangy, I guess, and a little fizzy and a little sweet? I get the one with oranges, but they do it with strawberries and stuff, or you can mix them together."

"U-um, it sounds very good."

"Yeah, it is! It comes in this really tall glass with a tiny paper umbrella too, which is weird, but kind of fun."

The rest of the walk remained uneventful until they reached the bathhouse and ran into Team Eight. The team was missing its third member and looked scuffed up in all the worst ways, with Sakura bearing the worst of it in bright red welts that went up and down her arms. Akamaru, Kiba's ever-present nin-dog companion, was missing too—which was so out of character that, if they weren't in Konoha, Sayaka would have been seriously concerned.

Instead, she felt only horror. Sayaka and Kiba made eye contact at the same time, each realizing that they were heading towards the same location in the same instant that Naruto raised a hand and shouted a greeting at Sakura. The only girl on Team Eight froze, then glanced at Kiba, who glanced back at Sayaka, who opened her mouth to say something but was too slow.

"Hey, hey, you guys headed to the bathhouse?" Naruto asked, bouncing up with all his usual energy and obliviousness to any social awkwardness. "You just finish a mission too?"

"Er, yes," said Sakura, edging away from Naruto towards Kiba. "We had to catch the daimyo's wife's cat."

"You smell like you just came from the fish market," said Kiba, wrinkling his nose. He glanced at Sayaka again, and went slightly pale.

"Yeah, they made us haul fish for them," said Naruto, shoving his hands into his pockets grouchily. "We had to get up super early too! So we were going to go get a bath and get the bathhouse to wash our clothes, since, you know, we kinda smell."

"I can, uh, see that," said Sakura. "You should get that taken care of, soon."

There was an intensely awkward pause. Etiquette demanded that someone invite the others to bathe together, but Sakura very much did not share Naruto's crush and neither Sayaka nor Kiba were very keen to spend much time together at this exact moment.

They made eye contact again. Neither could come up with any sort of sensible excuse, and both teams were tired and dirty enough that a little social awkwardness was worth it.

"Ah, well, do you want to…" Kiba began, scratching the back of his neck and gesturing vaguely at the entrance.

"I suppose we will," Sayaka said very carefully with a small bow. "After you?"

Naruto fell to the back of the group as they entered, hiding behind the clan names of the group. Sakura and Kiba carefully stayed out of range of the lingering odor of fish that hung over Team Seven while Sayaka handled the purchase of a laundry token and a bath set for each of them. Then everyone exchanged their shoes for the bathhouse's slippers and headed for the changing rooms.

Sayaka glanced over Sakura as they walked. Up close, the red welts that traveled up and down Sakura's arms were clearly claw marks.

"What's the daimyo's wife's cat like?" asked Sayaka casually. "It sounds like a pretty straightforward mission."

Kiba snorted and Sakura attempted a kind of winning smile.

"It was… fine," said Sakura after a moment. "It wasn't… fun, but it was fine. You can't _really_ expect a cat to like being picked up that way, right?"

"The thing's a menace to society," said Kiba flatly. "Akamaru almost lost an eye and he's covered in scratches. We dropped him off at home so that onee-chan can heal him up. That damn cat's lucky it was a mission, or else I'd…"

Well. That certainly explained why the otherwise-inseparable puppy wasn't here.

"U-um, I have some s-salve in my hip-pouch, S-sakura-san," Hinata said. "A-a-afterwards, would you l-like some?"

"That'd be great," Sakura said gratefully. "Though, if you have anything that numbs scratches…"

"I do!"

"Then, if it's not too much trouble…"

"Of course," said Hinata, smiling. "I'm h-happy to help."

"Hinata-chan's the best at that sorta thing," said Naruto. "She can make, like, fifty different salves, or something, it's super cool. This one time, we were training, and Sayaka cut herself real bad with some ninja wire, and Hinata-chan totally just made a salve on the spot with some weeds! It stopped the bleeding really fast, though we had to stop and go to the hospital so that Sayaka could get her hand fixed, but the nurse said that Hinata-chan did a really good job!"

Hinata flushed very red at the praise. "U-um, I r-read a l-lot about plants, is a-all."

"I'm just glad that Uchiha-sama can screw up," said Kiba. He glanced at Sayaka with a grin. "Kami knows I can't touch her in sparring."

Sayaka sniffed and felt herself smile involuntarily.

"That's cause you suck, Kiba," said Naruto, grinning mischievously. "At least, without Akamaru helping you."

Kiba gave Naruto an unamused stare. "Says the deadlast."

"Hey! I can hit Sayaka sometimes!"

"Where's Shino?" Sayaka asked.

"Oh, he went home instead," said Sakura as the hallway branched off to the men's and women's sections. She stretched, pulling her wounds awkwardly and making her wince. "Ow. But yeah, he said something about how his colony didn't like bathhouses?"

"I wonder how he gets clean," said Naruto. He sniffed his sandals experimentally and gagged. "Ugh, we have, like, tokens for the washing machines right?"

"Yes, here," said Sayaka, passing over some of the coins. "For Kiba, too."

"Thanks," said Naruto, pocketing them. "But anyway, so like, does Shino just take sponge baths or something? That's gotta suck."

"Who knows," said Kiba, taking his portion of the tokens. "It's weird enough imagining him naked. You know the Aburame keep the kikai inside their bodies? Do they have like holes for the things to crawl out of or something?"

Sakura grimaced. "Please don't. We can just ask him later."

"If _you_ want to bring it up…"

Sakura turned faintly green.

"I figured," said Kiba blandly. He gestured vaguely. "Anyway, Naruto, let's go find some open washing machines."

The boys left for their dressing room, leaving Sakura, Sayaka, and Hinata alone.

"S-Sakura-san, we should m-make sure your scratches are c-clean before applying any salve," said Hinata as they entered the women's dressing room. A row of washing machines was off to one side, and they quickly found open machines. "I-if you'd like, I can wash your b-back beforehand?"

"That would be great, thanks," said Sakura with a sigh. She leaned backwards and cracked her back. "Urgh. What a day. I'll get your back for you then, Hinata."

"T-thank you. U-um, Sayaka-san, would you like me to wash your back t-too?"

Sayaka shrugged. "Sure."

After starting the machines, the three girls put their non-washables away in lockers opposite the laundry area and headed into the shower room to scrub down before soaking in the baths. The keys to their lockers were on little straps that they wound around their wrists.

The shower room was largely empty, it being the middle of the day. Hinata carefully helped Sakura wash her arms and apply the salve. It was a smooth, cooling gel that would be washed off later.

"So what's up with you and Kiba?" Sakura asked as Hinata and Sayaka applied the salve.

Sayaka raised an eyebrow at her.

"There's definitely something," said Sakura, raising her eyebrows back. "I normally wouldn't pry, but you know…"

"It's nothing important," said Sayaka. She looked down and dabbed a little gel on Sakura's arm. "Just a… meeting."

Sakura's eyebrows went further up. "A meeting huh. A _marriage_ kind of meeting?"

Sayaka didn't say anything.

"It's just a date, you know," said Sakura with a sigh. "You're lucky. I keep trying to find a nice guy but all the boys our age are annoying."

"Doesn't that make me unlucky?" Sayaka asked. "Since Kiba is a boy our age."

"Eh, he's better than others," said Sakura with a shrug, "and besides, it's not like he can ditch you or anything. It's one of those formal dinner things right?"

"The I-inuzuka are unlikely to be _t-too_ formal," Hinata said as she finished dabbing on the salve. "Please wait a little, S-Sakura-san, for the salve to take effect. I will help scrub Sayaka's back in the m-meantime."

"Sure."

Sayaka sighed and turned around on her stool while Hinata came over and began to rub between her shoulder blades with a wet, soapy towel. Talking about this sort of thing was tiresome at best and, today, after the morning's mission, was more unwelcome than usual.

"It _is_ just a d-date though," Hinata said. Sayaka groaned. "It r-really is, Sayaka. You should try to h-have fun."

"Yes, of course," said Sayaka, restraining the urge to roll her eyes.

"I mean, it's _political_, sure, but it's just… window shopping," said Sakura. She leaned on her knees to look over at Sayaka. "You know, like for clothes. It's not like you have to choose anyone right now, right?"

Sayaka made a displeased noise. "No."

"So it's not so bad," said Sakura. She hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder what Kiba's like when he's not being an ass?"

Sayaka turned broodily to scrub Hinata's back as the three of them fell silent. In some ways, Sakura wasn't wrong. Hiroyo had said as much about when Sayaka had visited Hinata for the first time. In fact, Sayaka had pretty much played completely into Hiashi's hands, seeing as she and Hinata were friends and on the same team together.

Of course, it worked both ways, and as the future Uchiha head, Sayaka benefited from being friends with as many clans as possible. The painful reality was that whenever Sayaka finally did have children, she would be the only family in the entire clan. The Inuzuka had dozens.

Sayaka frowned at Sakura as the other girl began rinsing off her arms. Stupid Sakura, wouldn't let her be resentful in peace. It really was like going window shopping. Sayaka was just picking out which of the clothes on offer had the best value. Sort of, at least.

* * *

Once everyone was clean, and Sakura's cuts were numbed, the group retired to the hot tub for a good, long soak. Naruto had been right about how wide the tubs were, especially with nobody being around, and the girls were able to let themselves float and let their worries waft away on the steam. Naruto even fell asleep, falling in with a splash and a spluttered shout that could be heard over the wooden divider between the sides.

A long time later, clad in the bathhouse's yukata and sipping at the yogurt drinks that were, in fact, delicious, Sayaka found herself sitting next to Sakura.

"Hinata really is good with that salve," Sakura remarked, examining her bandaged arms.

Sayaka hnned.

"What's it like being on a team with Naruto?" Sakura asked.

Sayaka shrugged. "It's fine. I'm used to him."

Sakura sighed. "That's good, I guess."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "Does he bother you?"

"…a little," Sakura said, looking sheepish. "I know he's your teammate, so I feel bad, but…"

Sayaka shrugged again. "He has that effect."

"It's just, he's really loud every time I see him," said Sakura, looking down at her drink. "He means well, but…"

"He has a crush on you."

"I mean, duh."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow again. "Really?"

"It's pretty obvious," Sakura said. She glanced up at where Naruto and Kiba were throwing sticks at a cup to see who could make the most in. Hinata watched them, but only had eyes for Naruto. "About as obvious as Hinata is."

Sayaka hummed. "We should set them up on a date."

"We should?" asked Sakura, looking at Sayaka in surprise. She squinted suspiciously. "You're not Ino in disguise, are you?"

Sayaka shrugged. "No. Probably."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but considered. "If Hinata still has a crush on him after knowing him for a year, she's probably in it for the long haul, but she's the Hyuuga heir."

"Technically," Sayaka said, "we clan heirs can have concubines."

Sakura turned back to Sayaka and gave her a look of complete disbelief. "…Who are you and what have you done to Uchiha Sayaka?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad at romance."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Sayaka, half the boys in our class followed you around like Akamaru follows Kiba," Sakura said flatly. "You're strong, you're pretty, and you're the 'last Uchiha'. A boy would have to be gay to be completely uninterested. You could have picked up any one of them _easily_ and you didn't, which is plenty of proof that you are terrible at romance."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "Maybe _you_ could have. We clan heirs have _expectations_."

Sakura snorted and propped her feet up on a cushion. "Says the girl who just told me about so-called concubines."

Sayaka sniffed imperiously. "Who says I won't?"

Sakura gave her a look of deepest disquiet. "…Fine. So then your master plan is for Hinata to marry one of her third cousins and for Naruto to be her concubine? And then what, she pops out babies and nobody mentions how some of them have blue eyes?"

"Pretty much."

"That's never going to work."

Sayaka shrugged.

Sakura stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "Ugh, fine. They're cute together. I'll ask Ino if she can help, and we'll figure something out."

Sayaka smiled. "Thank you."

"You owe me _so much_, Uchiha Sayaka."

* * *

Sayaka didn't hear from Sakura for several days. Between D-ranks and training, Team Seven rapidly began to find end-of-the-day soaks in the bathhouse to be a must-have part of their daily routine. Kakashi-sensei drove them at a punishing pace, despite easing them into it at first. It became typical for the team to run a D-rank in the morning and run team exercises in the afternoons, after which Kakashi would give them an evaluation of their performance and leave them to their own devices. Team Seven inevitably decamped to a nearby bathhouse that didn't eject Naruto at first sight, and they became such frequent customers that Naruto, with the help of a small word to the owner from Sayaka, started keeping his bathing-things in a permanent locker. It was a pleasant enough routine, and Sayaka was too tired at the end of the day to complain very much about the number of D-ranks.

After all, they _were _getting paid, and she was making money faster than she could spend it.

The date of Sayaka's dinner with Kiba ended up being shuffled around a bit before landing on the day of a minor festival celebrating one of the dozens of kami that protected Konoha. The dinner was not held in the Inuzuka clan's compound, but instead at a restaurant in the compound's vicinity. Attire was semiformal, which Sayaka took to mean "pretend you have to guard minor samurai nobility". She had picked out a dress that looked like a furisode kimono, but was cut off just above the knee and had plenty of space in the sleeves to tuck a roll of ninja wire and a couple of kunai.

Dinner was very casual, compared to the Hyuuga. The Inuzuka were not a clan that stood much upon ceremony and the meal was restricted to just the immediate family members of both parties. Sayaka and Kiba were seated across from each other, with Kiba's mother, Inuzuka Tsume, across from Hiroyo. The absence of Kiba's father was conspicuous, but it would have been incredibly rude to bring it up.

"Ah, it's nice to be here," Tsume said, pouring out glasses of sake for everyone and passing one to Hiroyo first, then Sayaka and Kiba. "The last time we were here was for Kiba's sister, so it's been a while. Cheers!"

They clinked glasses and downed their drinks.

"A fine choice of wine, Inuzuka-sama," complimented Hiroyo. "And establishment. I'm very impressed."

"Heh, well Tsuya's Izakaya is popular with the clan," said Tsume, pouring Hiroyo another drink before serving herself again. "Their food's great and the atmosphere's nice. Do you two have any favorite places?"

"Sayaka and I typically eat at home," said Hiroyo, sipping at her sake. "I have been teaching her some recipes, lately."

Kiba smothered a surprised expression as Tsume made noises about how nice that was. Sayaka glowered at him. She was learning how to cook under duress, yes, but it wasn't _that_ surprising.

"Maybe one day we can sample some of Sayaka's cooking," said Tsume casually, tipping back another drink.

"I would be honored," said Sayaka, bowing slightly as a tray of grilled chicken skewers slid onto the table, along with a fresh flask of sake.

"For now, let's eat!" said Tsume. "Itadakimasu!"

The meal went well. Sayaka and Kiba let the adults do most of the talking, though it was hard not to look at the other when a particularly obscure, and usually quite embarrassing, factoid emerged as the evening wore on.

Annoyingly, Sayaka found that it slowly endeared Kiba to her. Apparently the plan of attack was to embarrass both children badly enough that they'd grow closer. Tsume was choosing deliberately cute things about Kiba's childhood to expound on, while Hiroyo was doing quite a lot of work talking up Sayaka's feminine qualities, like her ability to cook a steak, which apparently Kiba found profoundly interesting due to it being his favorite food, and Sayaka found profoundly irritating due to her dislike of cooking in general.

Manipulative bastards.

"Ah, but look at us going on," said Hiroyo after they'd shared several plates of food. "There's a festival going on, isn't there? I'm sure the children would like to visit it."

"Of course," said Tsume. She yawned as she stood up, looking for all like some large wolf that had finished consuming a kill. "Eh, sorry about that. Dunno what came over me, yawning like that."

"Not at all," said Hiroyo who, for all her practice at being unruffled, looked unsettled at the Inuzuka matriarch's display of her teeth. "Why don't we visit a tea shop while the children visit the festival?"

"Sounds good," said Tsume. She flicked a small packet of money at Kiba, who caught it with raised eyebrows. "You kids head off, we'll probably be sitting around at Daigo-san's."

Sayaka and Kiba looked at each other.

"Thanks Mom," said Kiba as Sayaka bowed. "We'll see you later."

* * *

"Mom _never_ gives me this much money," Kiba said as he peeked inside the envelope with wide eyes. "Jeez, she must really like you or something."

Sayaka snorted as the two of them wandered into the festival. "Or something?"

Kiba pulled out half the bills and slapped them into Sayaka's hand, pointedly looking away. "Or something."

"She isn't thinking about potential grandchildren?"

Sayaka smirked as Kiba's ears turned red. "Just take the damn money, Uchiha."

Amused, Sayaka tucked the bills into the sleeves of her pseudo-furisode. "Such a gentleman, Inuzuka. Who knew."

"Just 'cause I skip class doesn't mean I'm a blockhead like Naruto," Kiba snorted. "I know how to treat a girl right."

Sayaka snorted. "Naruto's got better manners than you, Inuzuka."

Kiba gave her a disbelieving eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

"Last D-rank he didn't even yell at the client," said Sayaka breezily. "Kept his temper and everything."

"That's… that's not really a high bar."

"It was if you were there," said Sayaka, lips thinning at the memory. "He deserved a fire jutsu."

Kiba gave her a second disbelieving eyebrow, then barked a laugh. "Wow, Uchiha, who knew you had it in you."

Sayaka sniffed imperiously. "Of course I did."

They settled into an easy silence, coming to a stop under the awning of a taiyaki stand to buy two of the little fish-shaped pastries and look over what they wanted to visit that evening.

"Goldfish catching is pretty typical," said Kiba as he bit the head off his taiyaki. "You wanna try it?"

Sayaka hnned. "Not really. Too romantic."

Kiba snorted. "Hate to break it to you, Uchiha, but we _are _on a date."

"We could also pretend we're not."

"We could, sure, but if you don't show up at Daigo's Teashop with a souvenir then Mom'll eat my head."

Sayaka sighed. "Fine. Goldfish die too easily, we'll circle back for it. We should do the kunai game first."

Kiba shrugged. "Fair enough."

The kunai game stall owner was admittedly not enthused by two ninja showing up and preparing to clean him out. He brightened up when he realized Sayaka was the Last Uchiha.

"Ah, it's an honor, Uchiha-hime," the stall owner said, making a show of bowing and waving his hands. "Welcome to my humble stall. Would you like to play?"

Sayaka nodded and went to pull out her money, but Kiba beat her to it.

"Two sets of kunai," said Kiba, giving her a sidelong look. Sayaka scowled at him.

"Ah, of course, of course!" said the stall owner, beginning to sweat a little. "I'll just get the game set up…"

"Still a date," Kiba said blithely as the stall owner puttered around the back.

"If you get me anything I'll gut you," said Sayaka.

"Here you are," said the stall owner, reappearing with three blunted kunai for each of them. "Rule is: as long as you can knock over the target, you'll win points. Large targets are five points, medium are worth ten, and small are worth twenty. You want to get as many points as possible."

Sayaka narrowed her eyes as she picked up her kunai. The grand prize was a very large, cute, fluffy teddy bear, and while she wasn't particularly fond of cute things, it was high time she demonstrated what kind of a ninja she was before Kiba forgot.

"I'll go first," Kiba said casually. "If that's cool, Uchiha?"

Sayaka hnned. "Fine."

"Thanks, _hime_."

Sayaka scowled at him as Kiba squinted at the targets and flicked his hand out. The first two kunai plonked against small targets and knocked them down with a bang while the third glanced off the edge of a small target. Two kills and a serious injury, then.

"Forty points!" said the stall owner, looking pleased. "And now, Uchiha-hime?"

Sayaka took a deep breath. It wouldn't do for Kiba to do better than her.

The first kunai hit a small target, knocked it down, and bounced back up into the air. Sayaka pulled her arm back, waited, and then whipped it forward to send her second kunai clanging off the first, so that they both hit a small target and knocked them over. The final kunai easily knocked down her last target, giving her…

"E-eighty points," said the stall owner, flabbergasted. "A-ah well, as expected of Uchiha-hime! The grand prize, then, and your choice for how to spend the last twenty points."

"How the _fuck_ did you do that?" Kiba asked as Sayaka collected her teddy bear and began looking over the prizes.

"Training," said Sayaka blithely.

"Some training."

"Hnn."

"You should get the hairpin," said Kiba, tucking his hands into his pockets as he picked up another stuffed animal. "I'll give this to Akamaru later, probably, unless you want it?"

Sayaka snorted. "No."

"Then, erm, the hairpin, Uchiha-hime?" asked the stall owner. A line was starting to form behind them.

"Sure," said Sayaka, shrugging one shoulder. The hairpin was nothing special, a length of steel that looked more like a chopstick than anything else. At least it had been dipped in some paint to make it look like it had been lacquered and inlaid with gold.

"Thank you," Sayaka said, bowing to the stall owner before she and Kiba departed.

"How much training do you _do_?" Kiba asked as they walked away. "That kunai trick was nuts."

Sayaka shrugged as she tucked the hairpin into her hair. "A lot, I guess."

Kiba whistled. "Must be some training… your sensei teach you?"

Sayaka shook her head as they passed an alley.

"Jeez. Well what do you want to do next?"

* * *

In the end, Sayaka had to admit that she had fun. Kiba was a bit of a slob, a little lazy, and she'd definitely broken his nose for being an ass, but he'd apparently learned his lesson and could also be polite and courteous and he cleaned up well. Sayaka could tolerate being friends with him, she thought, and that was… at least a start.

They watched the fireworks at the end of the festival from a rooftop garden someone had made with a nice awning that hid them from view. It was the sort of garden that was really very suited to watching fireworks at the end of the festival, and presumably the owners would normally be using it, but today it seemed that wasn't the case.

"You gonna keep the goldfish?" Kiba asked.

"Yes," said Sayaka.

"That's good. How's your ice cream?"

"Good."

"Do you talk in more than one syllable words?"

Sayaka licked her popsicle and smiled slightly. "No."

Kiba rolled his eyes and leaned back, sticking his popsicle in his mouth and watching the flashes of the fireworks in silence. Sayaka stole a look at him as they sat quietly together.

"What would you do if I left to kill my brother?" Sayaka asked.

Kiba choked on his popsicle. "What?"

"You know what happened to my clan," Sayaka said. "You know what I need to do."

"I mean," said Kiba hurriedly, juggling his popsicle for a moment and licking up a drip that was running down his hand. "I uh, I mean, if you're set on it, it's, I dunno, I guess it's cool? I've never thought about it."

Sayaka gave him a very unimpressed look. "'Cool'? That's it?"

"I mean, I guess I get it, right?" said Kiba, looking away. "If, like, someone killed Mom and Hana I'd be down for revenge too, you know? It's just, like, I've never thought about being part of, you know, some kind of vendetta with someone."

Sayaka hummed and licked her ice cream. "…I suppose that's fair."

"Why're you asking anyway?" asked Kiba. "I thought… well…"

"I need to get stronger as quickly as I can," said Sayaka before licking her ice cream again. "There are limits on my time, of course, but my brother must die."

Kiba gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. "…right."

"If you marry me," Sayaka continued, "you'll need to deal with it."

"You can't leave the village though, so—"

"That's not the point," said Sayaka sharply. "The point is _if I did_—"

"I'd stop you," said Kiba, turning to look her in the eyes. Sayaka glared back, but Kiba held his ground. "I— I'm sorry, but I'd stop you. You're not allowed to leave. If— if I married you, I'd fight beside you, but I wouldn't let you go alone."

"Itachi has to die," said Sayaka. "If I have to leave to make that happen—"

"You _don't_," Kiba snarled at her. "Idiot! If you left without telling anyone you'd lose the support of your pack and then what would you do? Everybody is always stronger with their team."

Sayaka and Kiba glared at each other for a moment. Kiba blinked first.

"Sorry," he said, looking away and frowning at his melting popsicle. "I— Inuzuka care a lot about family, I guess. If we got married you'd be my wife and have my kids, so I'd— I'd care a lot about keeping you safe and supporting you. You know? So you're not allowed to leave."

Sayaka looked out at the fireworks. A bright starshell exploded above them, casting a bright orange glow across the garden and its awning and the two genin sitting on the bench within it. It was, for a moment, like sitting in the light of a bright flame, before it slowly faded into darkness.

"…what time is good for you, for a second date?" Sayaka asked quietly.

Kiba blinked at her, then looked away. This time, he was blushing. "I uh, I'd have to check my mission schedule. I can get back to you?"

"Alright," said Sayaka. "…Thanks, Kiba."

Kiba grinned back at her.

"No problem."


	4. Chapter 4

The idea of Kiba, of anyone really, being willing to help her kill Itachi gave Sayaka a funny feeling in her stomach that she did her best to ignore by training harder. Several scarecrows gave their lives to the furtherment of Sayaka's abilities with fire jutsu in the next few days, until it reached the point that Sayaka could incinerate five of them in ten seconds flat.

"Your Dragon Fire's getting pretty scary," said Naruto as Team Seven waited their turn to enter the mission hall. Hinata sat next to him, slowly finishing a cup of tea while they waited, while Kakashi slouched in a chair and read his book. "I could feel it from all the way in the tree."

"Mm," Sayaka hummed, leaning against the wall next to them and mulling over her performance that morning. The Dragon Fire didn't _technically_ need ninja wire, and it was better if she didn't, but it was turning out that ninja wire was surprisingly good at conducting fire-natured chakra. Being able to send a blast of fire in nearly any direction she wanted just by stringing up chakra wire was very appealing, and, just now, she'd been able to keep the wire lit as she swung the shuriken at the end of it around in an arc. It was… suggestive, of certain applications.

"I wonder if they sell razor wire at the shop," Sayaka mused out loud. "Or, hmm, maybe steel braid…"

"Oh god, she's getting ideas," Naruto muttered to Hinata. "Quick, we have to distract her."

Hinata giggled. "I'm s-sure Sayaka won't do anything unsafe."

"Oh yeah? We'll see once Sayaka starts wrapping us up in razor wire. _Flaming_ razor wire."

"I can hear you, you know," said Sayaka, frowning at Naruto and crossing her arms.

"Then don't buy razor wire!" Naruto replied, crossing his arms. "That stuff hurts!"

"I won't use it on _you_, idiot."

"You say that _now_, but one day you'll get your mission pack and training pack mixed up, and then I'll run into it, and then I'll lose an _eye _or something, and it'll _suck_."

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Naruto."

"Steel braid might be better, but you'll need gloves either way," Kakashi interjected. He looked up idly over the top of his book. "You're thinking of using it as your primary weapon?"

"It's very useful."

Kakashi sighed and shook his head with a smile made visible only by the way his single exposed eye crinkled. "I had a teammate who thought the same, once. I'll see if he has his old notebooks sometime."

Sayaka nodded in thanks. "Thank you, sensei."

The door of the mission hall opened to the sound of Kiba complaining about how the smell of old sake always made him sneeze. Sayaka looked up as he led the way out of the mission hall, with Sakura rolling her eyes behind him and telling him to get over it.

"Oh hey, it's Team Seven," said Kiba, catching sight of her as he rubbed the back of his head. "You guys getting a mission?"

"Yeah, just a D-rank," said Naruto, bouncing out of his chair with an excess of enthusiasm. Sayaka avoided eye contact by looking down and tucking a bit of hair behind her ear as Naruto continued: "What've you guys got? Sounds gross if Kiba's complaining so much."

"We have received a C-rank," said Shino. He tilted his head. "We are escorting a bridge builder back to his home."

"What?!" Naruto yelped, before rounding on Kakashi. "Sensei! Why can't we get a C-rank?!"

"I wanted to run you through more teamwork drills," said Kakashi as he flipped a page in his book.

"But sensei!"

"What is y-your client like?" Hinata asked Sakura to keep Naruto from getting started, "and, um, h-how long do you expect t-to be gone?"

"Oh jeez, Hinata-chan, you have _no idea_ about this guy," Sakura said, planting her hands on her hips. "Our client is _such_ an asshole, do you know what he said when he walked in? He said…"

Kiba slid over to Sayaka as the conversation spiraled on, with Sakura and Shino taking the chance to complain about their client and the mission while Kakashi and Kurenai let the somewhat unprofessional conversation slide and discussed something else off to the side.

"So it looks like my schedule's pretty clear once we get back," said Kiba quietly, scratching Akamaru behind the ears casually. "Kurenai-sensei says we'll probably take a break after the mission, so that time's probably best."

Sayaka looked up at him and folded her arms loosely in front of her. "What's the best way to contact you?"

"You could just send a letter like a normal person," said Kiba dryly.

Sayaka made a face like she'd bitten into a lemon. "No."

Kiba huffed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. There's a pond near Training Ground 18, with a big willow tree that looks like an old granny with a walking stick and a big hole halfway up the trunk. If you leave a note in there, I usually go there to work on chakra control."

Sayaka mulled it over. She'd need to buy a small bamboo container to keep the note dry, but otherwise that would work.

"Alright," said Sayaka, nodding and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear again. "Thanks."

Kiba snorted. "Crazy girl. Mom's not _that_ indiscreet."

"I'm not worried about her, I'm worried about the gossipy housewives across the street," said Sayaka flatly.

"True."

"Oi, Kiba, we're going," said Sakura, smacking Kiba on the shoulder. "Sorry Sayaka, we need to get packed."

Sayaka nodded. "It's fine. Will we be able to meet when you get back from your mission?"

Sakura winced. "Crap, sorry for forgetting about that one, things have been kind of crazy. I guess after our mission is fine, if it's good for you?"

"It is."

Sakura nodded. "Cool, sounds good. I'll send you a note after we get back. See you later!"

Team Eight left in a bustle of noise, leaving behind a quietly fuming Naruto who Hinata tried to placate as Kakashi got to his feet with a sigh. Sayaka thanked any deities out there that she hadn't started blushing in the middle of that conversation.

"Alright, knock it off Naruto," said Kakashi, closing his book with a snap and tapping Naruto on the shoulder with it. "If you want a C-rank so badly, then I expect better discipline out of you, understood? No ranting at a client."

Naruto grumbled but deflated. "Yes, sensei."

"Good, now let's go."

The mission hall was as it always was, with the Hokage making notes on his paperwork while two chunin assisted him at the desks nearby. Sayaka folded her hands behind her back as the three genin and Kakashi filed in, forming a neat line in front of the Hokage.

"Team Seven, reporting for duty," said Kakashi blandly.

"Ah yes, yes, Team Seven, on schedule as usual," said Hiruzen idly as he sorted through a few documents. "Your usual D-rank then? We have a few options…"

* * *

The days came and went and nothing of interest seemed to happen.

Kakashi did start running Team Seven through more teamwork drills and they stopped taking D-ranks for a while. The drills were not the same as the team-building exercises that they had gone through when they had started as genin. They were really more like endurance drills that happened to have a teamwork aspect, with the assumption that if you could maintain teamwork when tired and under time pressure, you were more likely to be able to do it in the field.

Unexpectedly, Kakashi started joining them, pushing Team Seven to go faster and faster through an improvised obstacle course and alternating objectives that sometimes changed halfway through the exercise. He was taller, stronger, and faster than they were, but he never left them behind and kept them moving forward even when they were totally exhausted.

"And time," said Kakashi, leaning against a tree at the end of yet another run through the wilds outside Konoha late in the afternoon. He pulled water bottles out from somewhere with a puff of chakra and started handing them out. "Good work. Stay on your feet now."

Sayaka poured water over her head as Kakashi nudged the genin forward into a slow walk around the pond they had ended up at. It would have been picturesque if she hadn't been covered in sweat and utterly exhausted after hauling herself and her teammates through rough terrain, cliffs, and deep pools of mud.

The group was silent as they walked, partly because Naruto was too tired to talk, and partly because the peace and quiet of the pond really was very nice. The rushes along the edge of the pond rustled in the gentle breeze. It was late summer and desperately hot, but the breeze still carried away the heat clinging to Sayaka's skin.

"I think we'll try something new tomorrow," said Kakashi as they rounded one end of the pond and entered a small grove of trees. "You three are doing well. I'm impressed by your progress."

Sayaka looked over at her teammates with a tired smile. Thank whatever gods there were that they would be ending these awful runs.

"What do you think, should we start C-ranks?" asked Kakashi, before swigging his water. "Or maybe you're confident enough to try a B-rank for the first time?"

"A B-rank?" asked Sayaka.

"Sure. There's lots of B-ranks that are only tasked that rank because of their sensitivity, not because they're hard," said Kakashi. "Something easy like a surveillance mission should be straightforward. And it'll be a nice break from all the running we've been doing."

"M-my eyes would be well s-suited to that task," Hinata commented.

"What would Naruto and I do?" asked Sayaka.

"Oh, I'm sure there's something that involves breaking and entering," said Kakashi blandly. "Naruto's probably pretty good at that."

"Heh, you bet," said Naruto with still-unnatural levels of enthusiasm despite his exhaustion. "I broke into the Hokage tower didn't I?"

"You can help him, and I'll stand watch," said Kakashi. "That sounds fun, doesn't it?"

"You just want an excuse to read your book and not do anything for a week," said Sayaka flatly.

"Sayaka-chan, why must you attack me this way?"

"It's _true _though."

"S-Sayaka, you shouldn't antagonize s-sensei like that…"

* * *

"A B-rank?" asked Hiroyo as they did the dishes after dinner that evening. "It seems a little early for that."

"Sensei says he wants to find an easy one," said Sayaka, drying off a bowl and stacking it in the cupboard. "Something like a surveillance mission."

"I suppose that's fair," said Hiroyo, doing her best not to seem worried. "I'm… sure you'll be fine. I know that you're training hard."

"Mm."

The plates and bowls clinked as the two continued washing dishes. Hiroyo's eyebrows pinched together as she placed the pan into the sink and gave it a squirt of dish soap. B-rank missions were honestly not that bad, if she thought rationally about it all. C-ranks weren't really that difficult for anyone who had a reasonable chance of passing the Chunin Exams, and even the most dysfunctional teams could do a reasonable job with them. B-ranks were a solid journeyman ninja's mission, usually, and taking very many A-ranks was rare for the average ninja. People like Kakashi, who had made careers out of blowing through A-ranks like so much paper, who did them _solo _even, were vanishingly rare.

"I don't know when it'll be, but sensei will probably wait a little," said Sayaka as she placed a bowl in the cupboard. "He usually changes his mind for no reason at the last minute about this sort of thing."

Hiroyo chuckled. "Does he now?"

"Sensei is very annoying," said Sayaka blandly. She picked up another dish and looked at it for a moment. "I'm told he's always been like this."

"Ah, I wouldn't know," said Hiroyo. "He's younger than me, you know."

"He is?"

"Oh yes. Kakashi joined the Third Great War when he was only six, then became a chunin by seven through field promotion," said Hiroyo. She looked to Sayaka with a stern expression. "You're paying attention to him, right? He has a lot to teach you."

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Yes, Hiroyo, I'm paying attention."

"Good."

"Are you worried?"

"Of course I am," said Hiroyo. She looked over at Sayaka again and frowned. "How could I not be? My—"

She paused, and Sayaka coughed. _That_ was a topic.

"I get it," said Sayaka before the silence could get awkward. "I just wanted to ask is all. I'll try to stay safe, and sensei's annoying but not stupid. It'll be fine."

Hiroyo huffed. "I suppose. When are you going to go on that second date with Kiba?"

"I— when he gets back from his mission," said Sayaka, flushing and putting away the plate she was drying a little too quickly, so that it clattered. "So, um, soon, I guess."

"We should arrange things with the Nara Clan soon as well," said Hiroyo. She sighed. "Dear me, there's so much to do."

"Do we _have_ to respond to the Nara?" asked Sayaka, sighing for altogether different reasons. "Couldn't we say that I want to focus on one person at a time?"

"Unfortunately, that isn't how these negotiations work," said Hiroyo wryly. "Worry about your mission for now. I'm sure Shikamaru is busy as well."

Sayaka snorted ungracefully but didn't comment further. What a life she led.

* * *

The next morning found Team Seven at the Hokage's tower again for, as promised, a B-rank mission. Naruto was very excited about it.

"Team Seven will be attending the betrothal celebration of Princess Hayashi Fumiyo as her bodyguards," said the Hokage, rolling open the relevant mission scroll. "In particular, the Hyuuga and Uchiha heiresses are requested to stand with personal retinue for the duration of the celebration."

"Heading off to the Eastern Domain, huh, " said Kakashi. "How long is the celebration?"

"One week, officially, but Team Seven will need to stand ready for the week preceding and following the celebration as well."

The genin gave each other looks as they digested this information. Naruto's enthusiasm had been tempered, protecting a princess was not nearly as cool as saving one, and neither Hinata nor Sayaka were particularly enthused. Leaving the village might be fun, but doing it for what amounted to a lot of standing around looking pretty was…

"Will we need to bring our own formal wear?" Kakashi asked.

"The Lord Hayashi has actually asked the opposite, and hopes it is not an excessive imposition to ask you all to be measured for coordinated suits of clothes," said Hiruzen with some amusement. He glanced down to check the text. "Apparently you'll be allowed to keep the clothes after the mission is complete. It is part of the mission pay."

"Fascinating," drawled Kakashi. "Well, Team Seven accepts the mission. I suppose we ought to go get packed."

"Very well," said Hiruzen. He rolled up the scroll and handed it to an aide, who hurried over to hand it to Kakashi. "The details are enclosed. It should be fairly simple, but stay on your guard. This mission is fairly sensitive, for obvious reasons."

Kakashi nodded. "Of course."

* * *

The pond in Training Ground 18 that Kiba had mentioned was a good place to train alone. It was too wet for fire jutsu, but there was a clearing with firm, dry ground with enough space to work forms or do some light sparring. The forest canopy closed most of the way overhead, letting light into the clearing and leaving the rest in shadow.

Sayaka dropped her mission pack onto the ground beneath the willow tree and looked up. There was the hole that Kiba had said would be there.

She sighed and looked down at the bamboo cylinder she had bought. How long had Kiba been away now? Two weeks? Now she would be leaving on her own month-long mission. Come to think of it, Kiba's team was running late. An escort mission like that should only take a week and a half at the outside. It was a normal enough thing when escorting civilians to keep the pace slow, but still.

Well, sometimes things happened. She was sure they were fine.

Sayaka stepped onto the tree and walked up the trunk. The inside of the hole was damp, with moss and mushrooms growing inside. It was a good thing she'd gotten the bamboo cylinder. The note she'd written had been short, and she'd left her scheduled return date. Hopefully he'd be able to find some time around then.

With another sigh, Sayaka let herself fall off the side and land on the ground, keeping her feet silent with chakra. It felt like time was crawling around her. So many little things to do, none of them really helping her and her goals. She needed her revenge and she needed to rebuild her clan, but here she was, stuck in the mire while time passed her by. She was training as hard as she could, but she risked injury if she pushed any harder with the mission schedule Kakashi had them on, at least in the time she had available. But every day, there seemed to be more mail from more suitors, families not worth her time that she still had to pen polite and well-considered responses to.

Sayaka grimaced, pushing aside those thoughts and picking up her mission pack. It was almost time for Team Seven to leave, and she needed to get going.

* * *

"Man this blows," Naruto complained when they finally set off. "Standing around for weeks is _not_ a cool B-rank mission."

"You'd better hope it stays boring," Kakashi said as they walked, hands in his pockets but book notably absent. "If there's an attack, it'll be a scandal that we didn't catch it until it actually went off."

"Really?"

Kakashi nodded. "This sort of mission is as much about the _perception_ of safety as it is actually keeping people safe. I'll be keeping a tight perimeter about the client at all times. Naruto, since your clones can relay information, we'll be using them to keep watch."

"Roger, sensei!" said Naruto, saluting seriously.

"Hinata, Sayaka, you two are familiar with protocol, I take it?"

"Hinata more than me," said Sayaka, glancing over at the other girl.

Hinata nodded. "I c-can make sure things g-go well."

"I'll leave it to you then. The client's safety is our top priority, so let's stay alert," said Kakashi. He pulled his book out and tapped the spine in his other hand thoughtfully. "Though, if things are calm, do try to have a little fun."

Sayaka gave him a raised eyebrow.

"I always took this kind of mission too seriously when I was your age," said Kakashi with a wistful smile. "Unnerved my clients. It'd be nice if I could shake that reputation."

Sayaka snorted. "Right."

Well, it was supposed to be a celebration and not a funeral. Protocol was dull, but the food would be good, and hopefully the princess would be a nice conversationalist. There would be performances too, and if the daimyo had any money at all he'd be able to afford a nice little party that Team Seven was, essentially, being paid to attend.

_If _everything was quiet.

Sayaka fiddled with a length of ninja wire in her pocket. Something told her that it wouldn't be that easy.

* * *

The mission's start point was on Fire Country's eastern seaboard in the harbor town of Senfuku. This was also the center of government for the Eastern Domain, and lay about three days swift run from Konoha. Team Seven took slightly longer, as they were somewhat ahead of schedule, and arrived the evening before their mission officially started.

"This seems to be the place," said Kakashi, looking up at the castle of the Hayashi clan from the base of the ramp leading up to its walls. "Let's report in and then see about dinner."

"Good, I'm starved!" said Naruto. He fidgeted and squinted at the ashigaru standing guard in front of the gate. "Man, there's this ramen place that we walked past, I really want to check it out. It was talking about this thing called 'ramen sushi', and I'm just like, how the heck does that even work?"

"It probably cooks the fish," said Kakashi as he began walking up the ramp. "Just the outside, for texture."

"That sounds gross," said Naruto, wrinkling his nose. "Well, I guess if it's something fatty, I guess, like salmon."

"We can take a look," said Kakashi as they arrived at the gate. The ashigaru stepped forward, not unkindly, but the base of their naginata clinked against the gravel. "Good evening, we're here with a mission from his excellency Lord Hayashi?"

"Scroll please," said one of the ashigaru, holding out a hand. Kakashi handed over the scroll they'd been given, and the ashigaru flicked it open to look it over. His eyes glanced up at Kakashi, who was smiling pleasantly, then down to Hinata, and then Sayaka.

"A retainer will be here presently to escort you to your rooms," said the ashigaru, rolling up the scroll and handing it back. "Lord Hayashi welcomes you to his home."

"It is our honor to serve," said Kakashi, bowing. The rest of the team followed suit.

The ashigaru gave them another look over, then gestured at the top of the wall. A shout came back, and there was a clatter of armor as a runner took off for the keep.

Sayaka took the moment to look out over the city of Senfuku. It was moderately sized, with a great focus on the harbor district across the river delta the city had been founded within. It was still a marshland, but the channels had been deepened and the marshes drained so that the natural harbor could be taken more properly advantage of. Docks and quays lined the seashore, their pillars sunk deep into the marsh's silt, and the people traversed over the top of boardwalks made from the abundant pine trees that lined the hills which the castle stood amongst. The sun was setting, now, but lights still burned in the harbor district, and of course the red lamps of the pleasure district were starting to be lit as well. Truly, this was a city of a thousand fortunes.

The gates creaked, and Sayaka turned her attention back to them as a well-dressed samurai walked up to them, clad in a powder blue and navy ensemble with gold thread stitching out the coat of arms of the Hayashi clan. Following behind him were several servants, also dressed in powder blue. They formed a line to the side and bowed as the gates were opened fully.

"Shinobi, good evening," the samurai said, dipping his head briefly in acknowledgment. "I am Tokuyama Norihide, a member of Lord Hayashi's household. Please, allow me to escort you to your lodgings."

Kakashi returned the bow, the genin following suit. "Our thanks, Tokuyama-san."

"It is we who should be thanking you for your presence," said Norihide, gesturing with one hand in invitation. Kakashi led the way as the team followed Norihide into the castle, the servants trailing behind. "You have no doubt been apprised of the threats we have received."

"Yes," said Kakashi. "Of course, any such event is always accompanied by such threats."

"Of course, but it never hurts to be cautious," said Norihide. He swept his arms behind his back as he walked, turning his head to regard Team Seven. "I trust your team will be up to the task."

Kakashi turned as well, and observed Hinata and Sayaka looking very dour while Naruto did his best not to look like a peasant placed for the first time in a shimmering castle of high towers, where even the servant clothes were better than what he could afford.

He wasn't succeeding.

"Well, they respond well to pressure," said Kakashi as he turned back to Norihide with a small smile. The samurai was unimpressed, but politely nodded.

"Very good then," he said, stopping in front of a single story, ceramic-tiled building. "These are your rooms for the time you will be here. While you are of course on contract, Lord Hayashi has instructed that you be treated as guests."

"It is private?"

"It is."

"No servants?"

"Of course. Lord Hayashi is familiar with the manner in which Konoha ninja operate. Your attending staff is in a separate building altogether, and will only respond if called."

"Excellent," said Kakashi, bowing more deeply. "You have our greatest thanks. Please convey to Lord Hayashi our gratitude for such well-considered accommodations. We will be sure to repay his thoughtfulness with careful and attentive service."

Norihide glanced over Kakashi and the three genin behind him who, dutifully, were being very quiet and bowing more deeply than their master.

"I shall," Norihide replied, bowing equally deeply. "I leave you in the hands of Minami, who will be overseeing any needs or wants you may have."

One of the servants stepped forward, bowing deeply at the waist. "Your humble servant welcomes you to the castle of Lord Hayashi," she said. Kakashi regarded her with a careful eye.

"Very well, thank you again," said Kakashi, nodding to Norihide. They exchanged final goodbyes, and then the samurai departed with three of the servants to his next task.

Kakashi gave the still-bowing Minami a look and glanced over the three remaining servants. They were two boys and a girl.

"I'm surprised you would take on a genin team," said Kakashi, dipping a hand inside his pocket. "Missing-nin operate alone, I thought? But then, a Konoha missing-nin can't shake old habits, can they?"

Minami stiffened, looking up through her fringe as Kakashi pulled out his book and flipped it open. In the background, the three remaining servants - genin? - swallowed, eyeing the genin of Team Seven with trepidation. Sayaka, Hinata, and Naruto remained very carefully still, unsure what was happening.

"Relax, I won't turn you in," said Kakashi. "You'll be Lord Hayashi's spymaster then? Let's go inside and have some tea, and you can fill us in on the situation."

Minami's gaze flicked back to the ground. "As you wish, my lord."

Sayaka glanced at Hinata and Naruto, who looked back at her with wide eyes. She carefully stayed quiet and looked over the three supposed-genin who trailed behind Minami. They behaved like servants and did servant-like things, bowing deeply as Team Seven entered the building and providing slippers from concealed racks embedded in the walls. Minami gave quiet instructions and the three children responded instantly, the motions done a hundred times before. For all intents and purposes, they were a premier set of serving staff, provided to honored guests to ensure their comfort.

"So, was it after the attack of Nine-tails?" Kakashi asked as he wandered towards the kitchen. He gestured for everyone to sit at the table in the main room of the guest house. Team Seven did so promptly, as did Minami, but the boys and the girl hovered along the edges of the room and didn't move.

"Just before," said Minami as she folded her legs beneath her and looked down at the table.

"Ah. A popular time. I'm surprised I didn't get tasked with hunting you."

"I was not important," said Minami. "I was a chunin of little regard when I left."

"Mm. We needed all the bodies we could get."

"To die for the village?" Minami asked, voice sharp and bitter.

"Yes," said Kakashi blandly. He returned with a teapot and eight cups, and raised his solitary eyebrow at the serving boys and girl lining the walls. "Sit down, kids, everything's fine."

The children looked at each other, then shuffled slowly to the middle of the room. Team Seven scooted over to make room for the uncomfortable-looking group that, cautiously, finally sat.

"Anyway, it's moot in the end, because the Third exempted your bounty," said Kakashi as he set down the tea and plopped casually across from Minami. "Guess you didn't get the message, hm? Akiya Reiko."

Minami—or was it Reiko?—thinned her lips. "I left that name behind me long ago. It's been twelve years since I used it."

"Ah well, fair's fair," said Kakashi. "But if you want a headband again, Konoha will give it to you. I'd encourage you to take it—it'd be good for the kids."

"We're fine here, in the service of Lord Hayashi," said Minami. "We're not the Uchiha or the Hyuuga, but we have our strengths."

Kakashi shrugged and began pouring the tea. "I suppose that's fine too. If that's the case, will you allow yourself to be claimed by Konoha as an affiliated clan? As you know, it carries no guarantee of protection, but also no real obligation to the village. Just a nonaggression vow and friendly relations."

"I would prefer not," said Minami. Her lips thinned further. "Konoha was no friend or ally when I lived there. Why should I give it such things when I have left?"

"Well, for one thing, your kids would have the chance to join Konoha, and even if you don't like us, you'll admit that there's many more opportunities available," said Kakashi. He put down the teapot and began distributing teacups. "Whatever your opinions, it'd be a shame to let that impact your genin team's chances, don't you think?"

Minami scowled at him but didn't contradict him.

There was a moment of very uncomfortable silence while Kakashi distributed teacups. They clunked against the wooden tabletop, echoing in the room. Sayaka found herself judging shuriken angles and shifting her weight to spring up more quickly. One of the boys was sitting closest to her. If she had to, she could probably take him down. It was close enough that she could land a knife strike in the kidneys, and Naruto would dump clones into the room right after. From there…

"I'll think about it," said Minami. She raised her tea and took a sip. "But we have a job to do, don't we? We should focus on the task at hand."

Kakashi leaned back on one hand and lifted his cup idly with the other. "Yes, fair enough. Let's start with introductions, hm? These are my genin, Uchiha Sayaka, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto."

The genin nodded across the table, though Naruto only did it after Hinata poked him very hard in the side to keep him from saying something about becoming Hokage.

"These are my genin, Ota, Naga, and Nobuo," said Minami, gesturing at the boy closest to her, then the girl, then the boy sitting next to Sayaka. They all bowed, as was proper.

"We are, as you would call it, an infiltration and surveillance team," Minami continued, lacing her fingers around the teacup. "Our role as retainers of Lord Hayashi is to be his eyes and ears for insurrection amongst his men and discontent amongst the people."

"A logical specialty," said Kakashi. He dangled a teacup from his fingertips thoughtfully. "I'm curious, how did you kids get into this business?"

Ota, Naga, and Nobuo glanced at each other, then at Minami, who nodded.

"Me and Nobuo were Minami's runners for a little while when she was making her reputation here in Senfuku," said Ota. "Naga was one of the teahouse girls who Minami got information from. Me and Nobuo started doing bigger jobs for Minami, and Naga was getting sick of the teahouse. We're all orphans, so, when Minami asked if we wanted to help her full time, we all said yes."

"Orphans, huh," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea. "That would be from the plague that hit a few years ago, right?"

"Yes sir," said Ota, looking down at the table. "Senfuku's in a marsh, so…"

Kakashi nodded. "Well, that's certainly a story. I'm sure we'll get to learn more as we spend time together. In any case, we may as well go over what you've learned so far."

Ota looked over at Minami again, who nodded once more.

"I can start with an overview," said Ota, pulling a roll of paper out of his jacket and spreading it out on the table. "The Gato Company has been undermining Lord Hayashi's authority in the city for several years, mostly by corrupting the customs officials to let them smuggle goods through the ports."

Sayaka furrowed her brow as she looked at the paper. It was a map of the harbor district, laid out in great detail, and written on with incredibly fine strokes of a pen. Several areas had been marked with red dots and had the names of customs officials next to them.

"The rumors about an attempt on Princess Fumiyo's life have not been confirmed," continued Ota. "However, the Gato Company has the greatest motive to do so, and are a legitimate threat that we must be cautious of. It is likely that, if there is an attempt, they will be the source."

"What are the odds?" asked Kakashi.

Ota looked at Minami, who shrugged. "Using Konoha's methods, one in fifty. The attack is unlikely to happen, at least with a Konoha team on site. Even without the presence of Konoha ninja, the odds were only one in twenty. An open assault on a noble princess doesn't fit Gato's mode of operation, and he has a strong base to continue undermining Lord Hayashi, as long as he has patience."

"So hold on, what's with this Gato guy?" asked Naruto. He scratched his nose and frowned at the map that had been unfurled. "You said something about smuggling? What's he actually doing?"

Nobuo scowled. "Gato's a leading member of organized crime along the coast of Fire Country, and lotsa other places besides. He's taken over Wave Country completely, and is trying to steal all their money to make himself rich."

"But because he has so much money, a lot of people will work for him," added Naga, hugging herself and glaring down at her teacup. "They'll beat you up or kill you if you try to resist. It's horrible."

Naruto's frown deepened into a scowl. "That's terrible! We gotta take him out!"

"Lord Hayashi has tried," said Minami. She sighed. "Gato has hired high-level missing-nin as his personal bodyguards. He cannot be touched."

"Hey, sensei, _you're_ a jounin," said Naruto, turning to Kakashi immediately. "Why can't you take out Gato?"

"That's classified," said Kakashi. His cup was strangely empty, and he leaned forward to pour himself another. "Rest assured, Konoha is monitoring the situation, but suffice to say that orchestrating Gato's death is harder than you'd think."

"You mean orchestrating it in _Konoha's favor_," said Minami acidly.

Kakashi looked at her. "Yes."

"While the rest of us take the hit, hmm?" asked Minami. Her fingers tightened around her teacup. "This is why I left the village, you know. The hypocrisy—it's disgusting. At least on my own, I know that everyone is my enemy. In _that_ place…"

Naruto scowled at her. "Hey! That's my home you're talking about!"

Minami regarded him disparagingly but flicked her gaze back to Kakashi. "Gato is greedy. He has been slow to act until now, and he knows that if he moves too fast he will be taken notice of and destroyed. But rumors say that, beyond his personal guard, Gato has gathered many highly trained ninja from the Mist Rebellion. They are many times more dangerous than your average missing-nin, and he intends to employ them to wrest control of the region."

"These are the same rumors that say the daimyo of Fire Country is secretly a ninja, planted by Konoha to control the government," said Kakashi. "You give them credence?"

"It matches what we have seen in the harbor district," said Naga. "The third, seventh, and ninth customs gates are controlled by Gato's handpicked agents. They used to be ours, but the officials Lord Hayashi placed there died mysteriously by drowning."

Kakashi hummed at that. "Drowning, huh."

"Their bodies were found in the harbor, and their lungs were filled with water," said Naga. "But from what Minami has told us about Mist ninja…"

Kakashi frowned, but shrugged. "It's an interesting theory. For now, let's continue the briefing."

Naga nodded. "The time and place of the attack, should it happen, will be during the procession," she said. "Princess Fumiyo is being married to Prince Eiichi of the Aoyagi clan, so the procession route will be from Hayashi castle to the Aoyagi clan's mansion on the edge of the city. The attack will occur either on the way to the mansion or on the way back. Security here in Hayashi castle is tight enough not to be worth the risk, and the Aoyagi have taken pains to fortify the mansion. They want this marriage to take place, after all."

Kakashi nodded. "You have coordinated the security efforts with them?"

"Yes, Sir Tokuyama has been in charge of that," said Naga. "From Nobuo's surveillance, their measures match our own. Attack inside the compound is unlikely."

"Why's the Princess getting married to them?" asked Naruto. "Sayaka and Hinata say that nobles do political marriages and stuff, so there has to be a reason."

"The goal is to reinforce the harbor district and reassert Lord Hayashi's control," said Naga. "The Aoyagi have a significant force of marines which Lord Hayashi simply doesn't have the time to train up. The deal is this: the Aoyagi clan will move into the harbor district as part of Princess Fumiyo's dowry. In exchange, they will swear fealty to the Hayashi and enforce Lord Hayashi's rule in the harbor district. The marriage will solidify this bond, in theory."

"But in practice?" asked Sayaka.

"The Aoyagi clan have been trying to exert control over the port of Senfuku for several years," said Naga, sighing and shaking her head. "Lord Hayashi is a popular governor, but his military strength is weak. To reduce taxes on the people, he decreased the number of ashigaru in his employ, and so Gato found his opening. This marriage is the Aoyagi's greatest victory over our lord to date."

Sayaka breathed in slowly, then breathed out again.

"T-then, do the b-bride and groom e-even know each other?" Hinata asked.

Naga shook her head again. Next to Sayaka, Nobuo clenched a fist in his lap.

"That's bullshit," said Naruto hotly. "Even Sayaka's got a chance to meet the boys that've been trying to be married to her."

"There is no choice," said Minami. She took a sip of her tea. "A daughter's duty is to serve the clan, is it not?"

Sayaka breathed in slowly, then breathed out, then took a sip of her tea. This, then, was what it meant for your clan to be weak. She wondered if, in a different life, this would have been her fate. But then, that required her to have a clan.

She took another sip of tea. Was this what rebuilding her clan would mean? Needing to determine which other clans would be the best for her to build alliances with and forging marriages where she could? She was already doing it, wasn't she? Kiba was nice, but was he the best suited for her? For the yet-to-be-made Uchiha clan? That she could consider these questions was because she was the last of the Uchiha, the most desired bride in Konoha. If things had been different…

Sayaka shuddered.

"Let's call it there," said Kakashi. He placed his cup down and clapped his hands together. "You've trained your genin well, Minami. That was an excellent briefing."

Minami inclined her head and got to her feet. Ota, Naga, and Nobuo began to clear the table as Minami smoothed out her clothes and bowed to Kakashi. "Your humble servants may be called with a simple chakra bell," she said, slipping back into character and gesturing at a panel on the wall. "If you need us, please channel some of your chakra through the panel, and we will be alerted."

Kakashi nodded. "Very well, thank you. You may leave us now."

The four surveillance ninja departed with a click of the back door. There was a beat of silence, before Naruto exploded.

"What do you _mean_ we can't do anything to Gato?!" he asked, jumping to his feet and pointing accusingly at Kakashi. "That's _bullshit!_ We've got all sorts of jounin that could take on some bully with more cash than he does sense!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Naruto, sit down."

"Why? I'm _right—_!"

"_Sit down_," said Kakashi sharply. "This is not the time or the place to be questioning village policy. If you really insist, the Intelligence division would be more than happy to induct you in and tell you more but while you're in the field _you will hold your tongue_."

Naruto's jaw snapped shut with a click and he visibly vibrated before sitting down with a thunk.

"Now, because it _is_ relevant, allow me to explain the problem with Gato," said Kakashi. He pulled a small book out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is Konoha's current guidebook to organized crime on the eastern coast. You will notice that it is three hundred pages long. This is because organized crime is an incredibly large problem that has gone unaddressed for several decades. What events in recent history would prevent it from being addressed, Naruto?"

Naruto scowled at Kakashi. "I dunno, you tell me."

"Naruto."

"How should I know, I'm the deadlast, remember?"

"Naruto, do you want to be Hokage or not?" Kakashi asked flatly. "If you do, then think a little so that you don't get your future ninja killed."

Naruto scowled harder but didn't respond, instead staring down at the table for a long moment. Sayaka and Hinata fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I guess the attack of the Nine-tails," said Naruto after a moment. "And the war."

"Konoha has had precious little manpower to spend going after crime bosses these days," said Kakashi. "It's the reason why Minami leaving was a serious problem, and is also why the Third commuted her sentence. Duty would otherwise dictate that I turn her in for execution, but we, like every other shinobi village, are short on manpower. Konoha may have won the war but, after the attack of the Nine-tails, the major ninja villages are now all on equal footing."

"Then why not help the samurai do it?" asked Naruto. "Lord Hayashi is _trying_, right? If we gave him a hand—"

"He'd lose control again immediately without the samurai and ashigaru to maintain order and enforce his authority," said Kakashi. "Konoha has known for a while that the Hayashi clan has been weakening. This mission is just another in a series, and will lead to others. Whether the Aoyagi take over is still in question, but in the end it doesn't matter to Konoha who holds power as long as the economy functions. The Aoyagi are unlikely to be despots, but even if they were, Konoha has no ability to enforce its will one way or another because of our manpower shortage. Even if we had enough ninja, doing so would undermine the Fire Daimyo, and that would result in samurai marching on the village. Would you start a civil war, Naruto, over your sense of justice?"

Naruto growled something incomprehensible and stood up again to pace the room, infuriated and unable to do anything about it.

"What about the r-rumors that Naga mentioned?" Hinata asked. "Do you think t-they're wrong?"

"It's a legitimate risk," said Kakashi. He picked up the guide and tucked it away into his vest. "If it's true, that would bump this mission up to an A-rank, but there's many ways to drown someone, even without water ninjutsu. I'll be scouting out the harbor later tonight while you three get some sleep, so we'll see what I find. Until then, prepare as if we're still running a B-rank mission. There's plenty of dangers from mercenaries with crossbows when it comes to unarmored princesses in palanquins."

Hinata and Sayaka nodded, looking down at the table. Naruto came to a stop and scowled at the floor. This entire mission had taken a turn for the depressing, or worse.

"This sucks, sensei," he said. "I— what's the point of being a ninja if you can't help people?"

Kakashi gave him a look of deep sadness that none of the three genin saw.

"I hope we can do a little helping this time," he said, pulling out his novel again. "Protecting someone, even if the circumstances aren't ideal, is a little better."

"Yeah but—" began Naruto, before stopping and turning away with a growl. "Ugh. I'm going to go put my stuff away."

Hinata stood up. "M-me too," she said, before also leaving for the bedroom.

Kakashi looked up over the edge of his novel as Sayaka slowly got to her feet as well.

"No thoughts from you, Sayaka?" asked Kakashi as Sayaka made her way towards the exit.

Sayaka paused at the hallway and shook her head.

"No sensei."


	5. Chapter 5

The morning dawn was an unwelcome sight for Team Seven.

Their breakfast was delivered by Minami's team, and it was singularly off-putting for both Sayaka and Naruto to be waited on by others their age. Naruto was an orphan, but even the smudged memories of Sayaka's childhood had no such attendants. Only the Hyuuga, with their vast compound and Branch Family, seemed to indulge in such luxuries.

So the meal was spent in silence, with Team Seven quietly trying to ignore the three pseudo-genin lining the walls. They failed spectacularly.

After breakfast, Team Seven was free to go about their day. There were no specific requests from Lord Hayashi, though he surely knew they had arrived, so the genin went off to canvas the area while Kakashi, who had been up late, declared that he would finally sleep.

"Security is pretty tight, the day guard patrol has no real gaps," said Naruto as the genin convened on top of a roof. He squatted next to a roof ornament, arms draped across his knees as he spoke. "I've been thinking about how I'd try to get in and plant paint bombs, and it's just really hard. You can't climb the wall without being seen, and getting in the gates needs passwords and stuff that change all the time."

Sayaka grimaced and folded her arms. "It's still possible though."

Naruto shrugged. "Sure anything's possible, and if they've got this place scoped out then we're definitely screwed, but it's a lot harder. Why take the risk if you don't have to?"

"I guess," said Sayaka with a sigh. "Should we go take a look at the route?"

Hinata shook her head. "The palanquin will a-always be within c-crossbow range along the entire r-route," she said. "Scouting it will not give us any n-new information."

Sayaka sighed again and turned to look out over the castle grounds. Castles were inhospitable to conventional attack and, unless corruption within Lord Hayashi's ranks was simply incredibly well-hidden, it was unlikely that any assassination attempts would come from within. In all respects, this should have been an easy C-rank, bumped up entirely because Lord Hayashi was willing to spend the money for the extra assurance that his daughter would be safe.

Sayaka rubbed a strand of ninja wire in her skirt pocket and wondered. Were they _really_ safe from ninja attack? The walls were high, sure, but some genjutsu and patience were all anyone needed to get over them, even if it was still riskier than just shooting the princess along the parade route.

"Ahoy up there!"

Team Seven looked down with a blink to see a group of samurai tramping past. At their head was Lord Hayashi himself, conversing with an aide as he walked past. The man was tall and powerfully built, broad in the shoulders and possessing a thick, bushy beard. His armor was richly brocaded, and he wore a lacquered leather cuirass that had been imprinted with his family crest at the corners. As they looked, he glanced up at them and nodded respectfully, before turning back to his conversation.

The person calling out to Team Seven was a page, about their age, dressed in light armor and waving a practice spear at them. "Lord Hayashi asks if you have a free moment?"

"What's up?" Naruto called back.

"Lord Hayashi would like to train with you," the page answered. "He has heard that the most distinguished heirs of the two greatest clans of Konoha have been assigned to protect his daughter, and seeks to test the mettle of his men against them."

Sayaka and Hinata looked at each other with raised eyebrows. That was certainly a request.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, sure, we'll come down," he said and getting to his feet. "Come on _most distinguished heirs_, it's time to train."

Sayaka reached over and smacked him upside the head.

* * *

Chakra clashed against chakra as two samurai of the Hayashi Retinue slammed into each other.

"Holy shit," said Naruto, ducking instinctively where Team Seven stood at the railing around the practice ring. "_That's_ how samurai fight?"

"Samurai use a lot of chakra in combat," said the page, Saburo. "It is essential to achieving the speed and power required to penetrate armor."

"Do they use chakra swords or whatever?" asked Naruto as the sparring pair withdrew slightly, glaring at each other through their facemasks while raising their practice swords. There was a beat before the two combatants charged again. The wooden blades crashed against each other with a crackle of chakra, blades whirring at ninja speeds and many times the power.

"Not as such, no," said Saburo. "Of course, hereditary blades are often special in that way, but as you can see, the weapons are usually reinforced with the will of their bearer."

"That's pretty cool," said Naruto, leaning up against the railing. In the ring, the combatants slid back from the battle to reassess, breathing hard. Across the way, Lord Hayashi sat in his armor, watching the fight carefully. Before the two could clash again, he stood up.

"That's enough," he said, raising an open palm. "Excellent technique, the both of you."

"Thank you sir!" the two samurai said, bowing sharply to him.

"Izanagi, what do you think they could improve on?" Lord Hayashi said to one of the men sitting to his left. He was an older samurai, his hair streaked with grey, but wore his armor well.

"Both are impetuous, which is to their credit," said Izanagi, "but leads also to impatience. Both would do well waiting for an opening rather than searching so hard for one."

"I agree," said Lord Hayashi. He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "Still, one must also attack to create openings. It is hard to fault them for their valiance and fearlessness."

"Just so, your excellency," said Izanagi, bowing slightly.

"Shinobi of Konoha, what say you?" Lord Hayashi asked, gesturing. "Have you any insights for our samurai?"

Naruto and Hinata both turned to Sayaka, who blinked at them, then scowled, then smoothed her expression and turned back to Lord Hayashi.

"My experience with samurai fighting is very little, your excellency," said Sayaka, bowing slightly at the waist to avert her eyes respectfully. "Your humble servant can only say that she would be nervous fighting either of these two fighters. They possess speed and power which she hopes to match one day."

Lord Hayashi blinked, then leaned back and laughed. "Very humble of you, Lady Uchiha, but even the samurai know of the Uchiha Clan. You are perhaps underselling yourself, no?"

Sayaka shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Er, perhaps, your excellency, but I am still young," she said. "It is only natural for youth to aspire to the skill of their elders."

Lord Hayashi laughed again. "Very well, then let us see what we can teach you. Come, Lady Uchiha, step into the ring. Daisuke, you are not too tired, I hope?"

"No sir!" said the samurai to Sayaka's right, tipping open his facemask to wipe at his brow.

"Excellent," said Lord Hayashi, and he gestured at Sayaka. "Please, spar with the Lady Uchiha. I am sure it will be a learning experience for everyone."

Sayaka squashed a grimace and looked over at Hinata, then Naruto. Both were entirely unrepentant. Hinata, Sayaka forgave, because honestly the girl hated putting on a display. Naruto, however, clearly just wanted to give Sayaka grief.

"I'll get you for this later," Sayaka whispered.

Naruto grinned back innocently. "No idea what you're talking about _Lady Uchiha_," he said.

Sayaka glared at him, then vaulted over the railing. She considered her options, not that there were many. The man, Daisuke, was older and more powerful than her by a significant margin. He was probably in his late teens, maybe eighteen or nineteen. His armor made him heavy, but he possessed a huge excess in strength that let him move with great speed. Sayaka would need to keep her distance, somehow, or try to pin him down.

"Your excellency, am I permitted live steel in this bout?" Sayaka asked. She didn't have any weapons that weren't sharpened.

"Daisuke, what say you?" asked Lord Hayashi.

"I am willing," said Daisuke. He grinned tightly, and seemed excited at the prospect. "It has been some time since I have fought live steel, after all."

"Very well, but I want neither of you to be hurt," said Lord Hayashi gravely. "You are both skilled warriors, and I expect you to yield honorably."

Sayaka and Daisuke both bowed to Lord Hayashi. "We understand, your excellency."

"Very well, then you may begin on your own time," said Lord Hayashi, sitting back to watch.

Sayaka's attention sharpened to the battlefield and the man standing across from her. Daisuke refastened his facemask and held his wooden sword in front of him at an even guard, regarding her carefully. A light breeze came across from the left.

She opened with a brace of shuriken on wires, the projectiles zipping past Daisuke and skimming the armor on his arms and legs. The samurai charged, the wires around his feet tangling him up but snapping as he funneled chakra downwards to force through the metal and make a sound like thunder as his feet impacted the earth.

Sayaka scowled as she leapt back. Tying him up wouldn't work then, which meant she was going to be forced to fight in close. She whipped out another brace of shuriken on wires, this time circling around Daisuke's right side in a long hook, then pulled them sharply, rotating at her waist to make the shuriken jerk backwards. They swung back in front of Daisuke, catching him in a wide loop of wire, then tightened as Sayaka applied further pressure to the wires to make the shuriken swing around and around on their own momentum.

Daisuke planted his feet and raised his sword, letting it be caught inside the wire that threatened to constrict him. Then with a shout, he pushed outwards, chakra cracking the wire even with the blunt edge of the wooden blade. The hardened surface of the armor gave him something to brace against, and the metal gave easily under the power of a samurai's finely honed abilities. He whirled his blade, bringing it up to-

-catch Sayaka's kunai as it reached for his face. Sayaka whirled in place and slammed the heel of her foot into Daisuke's facemask, snapping his head back and making him step backwards. Sayaka landed, then jumped again, flipping over Daisuke's head with a loop of wire wrapped around her hands. She couldn't choke him, not with the neck armor that all samurai wore, but the wire _would _give her leverage to pull him down and disarm him. She twisted as she leaped, aiming for a spot behind Daisuke where she could get good leverage as the wire-

-drew tight against Daisuke's gauntlet, biting into the silk but not flesh. With a roar, the samurai pulled, grasping the wire and hurling Sayaka overhead and into the ground. The impact stunned her, slamming the air out of her lungs and for a second the world spun.

This must be what it felt like to be Naruto during a spar.

A flash of wood made her roll away, the practice sword crashing into the ground where she had lain. The ground buckled from the impact, and Sayaka scrambled backwards. Daisuke advanced, moving far faster than a man in that much armor had any right to, and raised a booted leg. It came down towards Sayaka and-

-she was able to trap it, twisting and throwing Daisuke to the ground. Sayaka tried to pin his foot in her armpit to put him in an ankle lock, but Daisuke twisted around and crushed his knee into the pit of her stomach. Sayaka shouted in pain and her grip loosened for a moment, enough for Daisuke to extract his foot and whirl around to pin her to the ground. He raised a fist, then brought it crashing down into a-

-piece of wood, shattering it as Sayaka pulled a replacement and reappeared overhead, and this time she had a kunai that couldn't be used to throw her and slid the blade under the silk straps that held Daisuke's facemask and helmet on his head. He bucked, throwing her off, but the kunai edge cut the straps and now Daisuke stood, glaring and furious, but finally vulnerable.

Sayaka raised her kunai, a second one flipping into her free hand. She wound back to throw-

"Stop!"

Sayaka blinked, and looked to the side, where Lord Hayashi had risen from his seat.

"My lord?" Daisuke asked, letting his sword drop.

"Impressive fighting, the both of you," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled grimly. "I apologize for ending the bout so inconclusively, but we must remember that we have many days ahead of us where Lady Uchiha must be at her best."

Sayaka slid her kunai back into their sheath and swept her hair back, glancing over at Daisuke.

"My lord, I cannot express my apologies," Daisuke said immediately, bowing steeply. "Of course, if Lady Uchiha is to protect the princess-"

"There is no need to apologize, Daisuke," said Lord Hayashi, raising a hand. "You are a brave warrior, and of course would fight to the best of your ability. But I think everyone here agrees that you two are an even match."

The older samurai who had been watching all nodded.

"If I may say so, your excellency, it was truly an excellent bout," said a samurai old enough that his hair was mostly white. "It has been many years since I have seen such skill in such a young fighter. The Lady Uchiha does indeed undersell herself."

Sayaka ducked her head, suppressing a smile.

"It is only because of my sensei," she said demurely. "I owe what skill I have to his teachings."

"Of course, of course," said the old samurai, chuckling. "But lest Daisuke feel left out, I would also say that he showed great skill fighting his first ninja. Was it very unusual, Daisuke?"

"It was, sir," said Daisuke with a grin. "The Lady Uchiha moves unlike any samurai, but in the end she still must target the same locations. It truly is the case, sir, that drilling the fundamentals prevented my swift defeat."

"Very good, very good," said Lord Hayashi. "Now let it be known that today's bout was limited to hand-to-hand combat, and none of a ninja's most powerful ninjutsu was on display. Do not become overconfident, as a ninja uses more than just tricks and acrobatics to slay their foe. Still, this was, I think, an educational experience. Now who will be our next sparring pair?"

Sayaka and Daisuke bowed to Lord Hayashi, then exited the sparring ring. Now that she had a chance to look, Sayaka realized that he was a head or so taller than her, and built like a mountain tiger.

"Good match, your ladyship," said Daisuke, holding out his hand. "You fight well."

Sayaka grasped his hand and shook it, looking him in the eyes. "You as well. Thank you for the match."

Daisuke grinned at her, then let go and turned away. He was welcomed back among the ranks of Lord Hayashi's samurai with whispered commentary as the next match got started. Sayaka watched him go and pondered.

* * *

"And that's why samurai are the preeminent military force in the elemental countries," said Kakashi over a cup of tea. Team Seven had reconvened in the guest house after the training bouts to find him awake and reading his book, a pot of tea at his elbow. "They don't have many chakra techniques, but they refine those skills to a tremendous degree. That, coupled with their armor, makes them tremendously hard to take down, even as a jounin."

"Seriously?" Naruto asked, bouncing in his seat. "Like, can't you just kill them with cool jutsu or something?"

Kakashi shook his head. "The first few, maybe, but even ashigaru know how to use chakra to defend themselves. That's how daimyos build up armies. Sure, in a war, we'd have genjutsu masters to subjugate armies and the Hokage can make a small natural disaster if he wants, but there would be so many killed that it wouldn't be worth it. Better to save your soldiers for fighting others who try to subjugate your lands."

Naruto considered this thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense. Like, Lightning wants to take over a bunch of Fire Country's land, right? So if the daimyo was in a war with Konoha, Lightning would just come in and take over. So instead, the daimyo and the Hokage try to work together like a team, so that Lightning can't be a jerk."

"It's more complicated than that, but basically," said Kakashi. His teacup had emptied itself while Naruto was talking, and he began to pour himself another. "Usually, power gets devolved downwards to provincial governors, like Lord Hayashi, and hidden villages get special privileges, but at the end of the day the daimyo is in charge of making sure everything comes together in times of conflict."

"Man, it's all so complicated," said Naruto, lying back on the floor with a thump. "Politics is stupid."

"That's why I didn't go for being Hokage," said Kakashi. He sighed. "And the meetings suck too."

"Ugh," Naruto groaned, rolling over to bury his head in his arms. "Don't remind me."

Hinata giggled and patted him on the back of the head. "I'm s-sure that it w-won't be so bad when you're H-hokage, Naruto."

"You think so?" Naruto asked, looking up at Hinata.

"Y-yes!"

"Aww, I hope so too," said Naruto. He rolled back over and bumped Hinata's shoulder with his own as he sat up. It almost seemed like an accident, but he was sitting a lot closer to her now. "But hey so, sensei, did you learn anything last night?"

Kakashi and Sayaka glanced at each other as Hinata blushed but didn't comment. "Well to say I learned something might be overstating it," said Kakashi. He pulled out a sheaf of paper from his jounin vest and placed it on the table. "The notes I have aren't great, but they confirm everything Team Minami told us last night. The only discrepancy is their reports on the ninja. I can't find anything conclusive, and it's mostly because of the corruption in the local police reports. The coroner's findings have been doctored and none of the victims' bodies were photographed before they were cremated."

"So it's still a possibility," said Sayaka darkly.

Kakashi nodded. "The deaths are definitely suspicious. The mission is still a B-rank, but if we were going to see the princess assassinated in the castle I think the enemy would have struck by now. The attack, if it happens, is going to happen along the parade route."

Team Seven nodded.

"In that case, why have the parade at all?" asked Sayaka. "It'd be better for us to take her there under guard at night."

"It would be terrible for appearances," said Kakashi, shaking his head. "It'd make it look like Lord Hayashi is afraid and weaken his position further. He is obliged to put on something of a show."

"Seems kind of dumb to risk your kid's life like that though," said Naruto.

"If you have a better plan, I'm sure Lord Hayashi would welcome it," said Kakashi. "The strength of a lord is what allows him to protect the realm for which he is responsible. If Lord Hayashi was to be weakened further, his men might begin to desert him for others."

"But they're _his_ soldiers?"

"Not the way Konoha's ninja are soldiers for their Hokage," said Kakashi, shaking his head. "We're trained from the earliest age that we can hold a kunai to follow the orders of the Hokage and fight for Konoha and Konoha alone. Ashigaru are raised from the masses and often trained in a month or less."

"Wouldn't it be better to have everyone be better trained though?" asked Naruto. "Like, you'd fight better and win wars and stuff more easily."

"And how will you pay all those soldiers?" asked Kakashi. "You will keep a good many as your standing army, of course, but probably no more than ten thousand. Conflict during the Warring States Period could devour that many soldiers in a single day of battle. For these reasons, the provincial lords have long relied on more than just their wealth to hold the loyalty of their ashigaru, who they must levy from the masses. How then would you appeal to such people, who may have been farmers and fisherman yesterday?"

"Well, if there are people who want to hurt their families, then why wouldn't you volunteer to protect your home?" Naruto asked. "That's what I would do!"

"Then maybe, in some other life, you would have made a fine ashigaru for Lord Hayashi," said Kakashi, smiling and shaking his head. Only Naruto. "Unfortunately, that's not how most people think. A lot of people would say: 'How much will you pay me to do that?' Or they might say: 'Why should I listen to you?'. What would you say then?"

Naruto frowned. "Well, you should only listen to someone if they can prove they're the best, and you gotta eat. So if you're a provincial lord, you gotta prove you can win battles and you gotta give people food, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "Very good. That is historically the minimum, but these days people have started expecting more. Ashigaru will always receive food and a roof to sleep under. On top of that, lords are expected to pay their soldiers according to their rank in the army. If Lord Hayashi has decreased the taxes on the people, then he simply cannot pay the ryo to keep his men, and may not have the food stores either. Even the most loyal ashigaru will be forced to leave if he cannot get food. Maybe he will go back to being a fisherman or a farmer, and if Lord Hayashi asks he may come back to serve his lord, but lords that can win the loyalty of their people, even when their people are poor and hungry, are rare lords indeed."

Naruto frowned more deeply and crossed his arms stubbornly. "That doesn't have to be true."

"No, but, well, it takes great effort from great men to change things, and where are we to find such men apart from books and stories?" said Kakashi. He shrugged and spread his hands out. "Not being such a man, what other recourse does Lord Hayashi have to convince his ashigaru to stay than to put on a show displaying how little he cares about these rumors of assassination? Besides, it is considered the honorable thing to do, when giving away your daughter, and he must show how he is an upright and honorable samurai. And he will do so while guarding his daughter with his best men and dressing her and her attendants in fine robes, to show that his samurai are powerful and his wealth is great. The ashigaru under him need not fear losing their income, and if they start to stir trouble, they do need to fear those samurai."

"That's really messed up," Naruto said flatly. "Like, everything is already super hard, you know? Everybody needs to help out. Why make things worse?"

"Yes, well," said Kakashi with a sigh. "Welcome to leadership, I guess. These politics are part of getting and keeping power, and showmanship and signaling are just tools for manipulating others."

"Does the Hokage have to do this too?"

Kakashi nodded. "A little. Konoha is different, but when it comes to the clans…"

He looked meaningfully at Hinata, who let out a small sigh and looked down at the table.

"Well, anyway, it's part of the job," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea contemplatively. "Misdirection is part of being a ninja, after all. If you want to be Hokage, you'll be leading ninja, so you'll have to deal with it."

Naruto groaned and laid his head on the table.

* * *

With dinnertime came an unexpected invitation.

"His excellency Lord Hayashi requests your presence for a private dinner," said Saburo, the page from earlier. He had changed into a much more conventional messenger's uniform, and offered a scroll wrapped in powder blue cord with a bow. "It is an informal occasion, please feel free to appear in your mission wear. His excellency and the princess will be in their house clothes."

"Very well," said Kakashi, returning the bow to take the scroll. "We will appear at the specified time."

Saburo left and Team Seven immediately flew into a small panic. One did not get _invitations_ if it really was just an "informal private dinner". At the same time, it wasn't as if they'd actually brought formal wear - well, Kakashi had, because he was endlessly paranoid - and there wasn't any possibility to show up dressed well. They would have to put in a little effort to look nicer than usual, and that would have to do.

Of course, all Kakashi did was leave his most inappropriate books in his room, retaining only a respectable copy of the _Genji Monogatari_. He advised Naruto, whose hair was truly untamable, to bring a notebook, in case they needed to take notes on something, while the girls made sure their hair was smooth and brushed and fell just so.

Then it was time for dinner, and, after making sure Naruto knew what manners were, the team set out for the mansion. Sayaka did her best not to look like she was glaring at all the servants. This failed, something Hinata told her quietly as they were walking through the mansion's outer grounds, and Sayaka settled with looking around as if she were scanning for threats.

Team Minami shadowed them the entire way, mysteriously appearing then disappearing like wraiths. In fact, Sayaka didn't notice until she spotted Naga signaling her. The hand signals were Konoha standard: no contacts, area secure. It was a little unsettling, the way the team of genin ghosted around them, like wisps of smoke in the breeze.

But finally, Team Seven arrived at the dining room and Minami was there to open the door for them and allow them in. They walked into an extremely underwhelming room, with a table set for five and with one of the seats occupied by a girl in a casual dress and reading a book. Despite her clothes, her hair was done up fashionably and her face had been dabbed with subtle makeup which, though likely to escape Naruto's notice, clearly said to Sayaka and Hinata that despite this being a casual occasion, there were still certain rules and standards which were being applied.

The girl looked up and set the book aside as Team Seven walked in. "Good evening, I am Princess Fumiyo," she said, nodding her head solemnly. "Thank you for coming to dinner."

"It's an honor, princess," said Kakashi, leading Team Seven in bowing with appropriate gravitas. Sayaka took the moment to study the princess. Her dress was tastefully restrained, lacking in the embellishments wealthy civilians were fond of, while her hair was tied back in a loose bun, pinned with a golden hairpin and embellished with ribbons of silk. She also had a dagger concealed in the folds of the skirt, which had been trimmed to appear modest yet still allow her to reach inside and draw the blade. Interesting.

"Please, call me Fumiyo," said Fumiyo, gesturing at the table. "Have a seat. My father will hopefully be joining us soon. While we wait, would you like something to drink?"

"Tea or water would be nice," said Kakashi. He picked a seat with a good view of the riskiest entrypoints, while Naruto sat down with his back to the door. Sayaka and Hinata ended up across from the princess.

"Very well," said Fumiyo, gesturing imperceptibly. Nobuo appeared from the shadows, bearing a teapot and a set of cups. He silently placed them in front of each of the diners and began to pour the tea.

Sayaka studied the room more while the sound of tea running into cups curiously failed to echo. Carved panels lined the walls and ceiling, and the sole window in the dining room was small and placed high up. While the ceiling was painted white to reflect as much light as possible, overhead lamps remained necessary to see any of the other diners.

"How has your day been?" Fumiyo asked. Nobuo withdrew into the shadows once more as the princess lifted her teacup. "I heard you were able to give Father a good show at the sparring ring."

"It was a good fight," said Sayaka. She watched as the princess drank her tea.

"Who was your opponent?"

"His name was Daisuke."

"Ah, yes, he is very skilled," said Fumiyo. She took another sip of tea. "He will be one of my bodyguards during the procession."

"I see," said Sayaka. She glanced at Hinata and Naruto, wondering if either of them was going to say anything. Hinata was demurely looking down at the table, content for the moment to contemplate her teacup, while Naruto had scalded his tongue drinking his tea. The face he was making was deeply undignified.

Sayaka sighed. Maybe Kakashi would save her?

"The plan, I am told, will be for you and Lady Hyuuga to ride with me in the palanquin," said Fumiyo. She set her tea down to look at Sayaka directly. "I take it there are no concerns from any of you about this arrangement?"

"No," said Sayaka. She ran a finger along the side of her teacup.

"Good."

Silence descended on the table. It was so quiet that even Naruto stopped fidgeting, terribly aware of how much noise he made just sitting still.

Rescue appeared from an unexpected source. "What book were you reading?" Hinata asked, voice even and polite and everything else that befit the heiress of the most prestigious clan in Konoha. Sayaka saw that she had moved her hands under the table, to hide their trembling.

"Ah, this?" asked Fumiyo, picking her book back up to look at its cover. "It's nothing special, the biography of a botanist from the west."

"Sakoda Kenji is an obscure name," said Hinata. She reached out and picked up her tea, confidence growing as they hit upon a topic she knew well. "His work on water lilies was very insightful."

Fumiyo tilted her head and truly smiled for the first time in the whole conversation. "You are familiar with Sakoda Kenji?"

"I have used some of his techniques in the Hyuuga gardens," said Hinata. "They are very effective, if laborsome."

"Mmm, I was considering if they were worth the effort," said Fumiyo. She tapped her fingers thoughtfully along the spine of the book. "What do you think? Would the climate on the coast make the effort worthwhile?"

"I think so," said Hinata. She smiled back at the princess. "Kenji's suggestions are very general, after all, and require considerable skill to implement well. I am still learning, of course, but so far the attempt has been going well."

"It is a very lengthy process then?" asked Fumiyo rhetorically. "I suppose it makes sense—Kenji always seems to prefer the slower road in this biography."

Hinata mused on that for a moment. "I think he is cautious and meticulous, but I would not consider that the same as wisdom. I have always felt it was a fear of the unknown and a need to find certainty in the world."

Fumiyo's smile turned sad. "A natural instinct, no? We have precious little certainty in our lives."

Hinata's smile was also sad, but backed by something else as she nodded. "Just so."

The silence that followed was much less stilted, less awkward, as everyone took a moment to savor the tea before it got cold. It was very good, not bitter at all, with the pleasant roundness and savoriness that came with a truly excellent green tea. Sayaka had been too focused on the conversation to notice.

"Say, miss, if you're the daughter of a samurai, does that mean you get training?" asked Naruto.

"In swordplay?" asked Fumiyo. "Of course, and the naginata as well."

"Ah, that's cool, I didn't know," said Naruto, grinning at her. "Say, do you want to spar later? I'm not any good at swords, but maybe you can teach me something!"

"Perhaps," said Fumiyo, smiling at Naruto's enthusiasm even as the rest of the table held back sighs. One did not engage in fisticuffs with one's client.

"Awesome! So like, how often do you train anyway? Do you do herbal salves and stuff like Hinata-chan? Oh, oh, and also, this tea is _really_ good."

Fumiyo laughed and Sayaka let go of her urge to strangle Naruto for the barrage of questions. God, he really had no filter, did he?

"Well thank you, though Lady Hayashi buys the tea and not me," said Fumiyo when she had stopped. "As for your other questions: I train twice a week, mostly for conditioning. I'm expected to run if attacked, after all. As to herbal remedies, I only have a passing knowledge. Enough to treat scrapes and colds, when I have children, but not anything more extensive."

"Wait wait, 'Lady Hayashi'? Not 'Mom'?" asked Naruto, and Sayaka revoked her previous sentiments. He was going to die very horribly.

"Ah, well," said Fumiyo, her expression closing very swiftly. "She is my mother, of course, and she has shown me much affection."

"But-" Naruto began, before Sayaka sent him a glare as fierce as her Dragon Fire. It was obvious if he took a moment to think. Fumiyo was born from a night with more alcohol than sense, and so was, even if Lord Hayashi was a loving man, as much a valuable tool as she was beloved daughter. That was why the Lady Hayashi was not in attendance—after all, it wasn't _her_ child at risk of assassination.

All of this clicked after a moment's hesitation, and Naruto's face quickly turned ashen. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down at the table, shamefaced. "Please, forgive my lack of sense."

"It's nothing," said Fumiyo, wrapping her fingers about her teacup. "She does not hate me, and for that alone I am grateful."

"Let's speak about lighter topics," said Kakashi. "Do you read any novels, Fumiyo? We've been trying to get Sayaka more pastimes outside of training, so maybe you have a few suggestions?"

"Ah, well, I suppose," said Fumiyo. She considered. "There's a few series that I could share? Do you like-"

There was a knock on the door, and Fumiyo stood with the rest of Team Seven to bow as Lord Hayashi walked in. Up close, he was just as impressive as he was in his armor. Whatever his weaknesses as an administrator of the city, he clearly believed in leading his soldiers by example.

"Ah, my apologies, honored guests," said Lord Hayashi, bowing in return. "I am quite tardy, and beg your forgiveness."

"We are honored to wait," said Kakashi. "I hope it was nothing too troubling which held you up."

"Oh, nothing as such," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled, but it was more like a grimace. "I am sure that Minami has briefed you on the struggles of Senfuku."

"She has," said Kakashi, nodding. "Konoha would be happy to help, of course."

"Perhaps," said Lord Hayashi. "But we will save that for another time. Let us begin eating, and consider these topics after we have some food in our bellies."

It was an excellent meal, served in the kaiseki style, and Lord Hayashi was very good at making banal conversation while studiously ignoring the looming elephants within the room. Fumiyo kept quiet unless spoken to, her expression carefully balanced to be charming but placid. Naga and Nobuo served the food, clearing the table silently between courses until they reached the end and were being served the dessert. It was some confection involving peaches that Sayaka couldn't identify. The chef had evidently taken some variety of creative license.

"Now that we are eating our sweets, the time has come for bitter topics," said Lord Hayashi with a heavy sigh. "What is your honest assessment of the threat to my daughter?"

"The procession should be delayed," was Kakashi's immediate response. "Minami has provided useful intelligence that I feel merits further investigation. I would recommend paying Konoha for a second B-rank intelligence-gathering mission and waiting until that team has drawn their conclusions before proceeding with the procession."

"This is not possible," said Lord Hayashi.

"I did not think so," said Kakashi. He sighed. "The arrangement you proposed in the contract is acceptable, if risky. We will do our best."

"I see," said Lord Hayashi. He considered the situation briefly before speaking again. "You would make no changes?"

"If you can change the route, then we should do so," said Kakashi. "My genin are skilled enough, but a sharpshooter with a musket is well able to accomplish their mission despite dying in the process. Otherwise, it is a good plan. Naruto and I would stand out in the procession, so placing us on the flanks is sensible. Both Hinata and Sayaka can provide excellent defense and are well-practiced in the protocol necessary for such occasions."

"Very well. Naruto will accompany one of my men and scout a new parade route," said Lord Hayashi. "We will want your kunoichi to coordinate with Fumiyo and her retinue for the parade, to ensure all will appear well. We will start with these measures tomorrow."

"With your permission, my lord, I would also find evacuation locations," said Kakashi. "My own, rather than the ones your men have scouted. It is merely paranoia, but if you would indulge me…"

Lord Hayashi nodded. "I trust it will not be a distraction."

"No sir."

"Then fine, do so at your discretion. There is no harm being cautious in this way."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Let us hope all of this is for nothing," Lord Hayashi said, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I had hoped… well, it was always a forlorn hope."

"Is my brother doing better now?" Fumiyo asked. Lord Hayashi sent her a weak smile.

"It was a hard birth, but yes, he is doing better now," said Lord Hayashi. He turned to Team Seven. "I'm sure you haven't heard, but my third child was born only a few weeks ago. The boy was earlier than expected and frail, but he has recovered and for that I will count my blessings."

"Congratulations, sir," said Kakashi, inclining his head. "It is good to hear that mother and child are doing well. You said this was your third?"

"Yes, Fumiyo's brother is my other son," said Lord Hayashi. He smiled indulgently. "A precocious boy, not much older than your genin, with a talent for the sword."

"That is good to hear," said Kakashi. "We are glad for your family, then, and wish you all good health."

"Thank you," said Lord Hayashi. "I-"

There was another knock on the door. "My lord, an urgent matter has arisen," said Minami, cracking open the door. "Captain Higurashi requests an audience."

Lord Hayashi sighed and smiled ruefully at Kakashi. "Well, another fire to go put out. I apologize, but I must attend to this. Thank you again for your service, shinobi."

All in attendance stood and bowed as Lord Hayashi swept out again, leaving behind his unfinished dessert. The door closed gently, and the assemblage sat back down.

Sayaka mused over the news of another son and found it wanting. True, needing to care for a newborn was an entirely reasonable excuse for not attending dinner, but Lord Hayashi likely had not realized the topics their conversation had touched upon before he had arrived. All things considered, it sounded more like a way to avoid the dinner rather than any real reason.

"So, I guess samurai families only let boys be heirs?" said Naruto glumly. Fumiyo nodded and picked at her dessert, and Naruto sighed. "Well, that blows."

"Naruto, let's not criticize our host with his ninja listening in," said Kakashi, looking meaningfully to where Nobuo and Naga were still standing at the wall.

"Sorry, sensei," said Naruto. He poked at his dessert. "I just- well, whatever."

"Do we have anything else scheduled tonight?" Sayaka asked. "We could scout the city if you think it's worth it."

"We should," said Kakashi with a nod. "Minami and I will need to spend some time going over the intelligence, but we may as well put a watch on the princess during the night."

"What're we looking for?" asked Naruto. "I thought you said Gato's ninja weren't a big deal?"

"Paranoia never hurts," said Kakashi with a shrug. He looked over at Fumiyo. "Unless it would make you uncomfortable, miss?"

Fumiyo shook her head. "I can show you my room when we're done eating?"

"Very well," said Kakashi. "Let's pay a visit then, and we'll sort out the rotation afterwards."

* * *

Despite being the disfavored child, Fumiyo's room was indeed fit for a princess.

"Wow, these are some fancy digs, princess," said Naruto, looking up at the ceiling in awe. "How much did you pay to paint your _ceiling_ like that?"

"Naruto, that's rude," said Kakashi. Sayaka whapped the blonde on the head. "Though, it _is_ very skillful work. It must have been quite an artist."

"Unfortunately, it has always been overhead since I came to the castle," said Fumiyo, "so I cannot provide any answers. Please, come in."

It wasn't really a "room" so much as it was its own one bedroom apartment, complete with its own small drawing room, bathroom, and, of course, Fumiyo's actual bedroom, where she slept. The drawing room was carefully furnished to be multipurpose, usable for entertaining guests and for studying. A bookshelf stood along one wall, next to a desk just large enough for calligraphy practice and writing letters. A low table, bracketed on two sides by a sofa and an armchair, sat in the middle of the room, facing the door. It was made of dark wood, richly carved, and placed atop a rug of many colors.

"Lord Hayashi is a man of good sense," said Kakashi as he paced around the drawing room, with its solitary, frosted-surface, chakra-seal-locked window. "It's good to work with such a client."

Fumiyo huffed a small laugh. "Not all samurai are still capable of war."

"You would think that it would take more than ten years for peace to soften them up," said Kakashi, pausing to run a finger along the seam of the window. It was solidly fixed into the wall of the mansion. "Well, I suppose it is only human nature to try and forget painful memories."

The room watched him for a moment as Kakashi fell silent, contemplating the past.

"Ah, look at me woolgathering," said Kakashi with sudden cheer. "Come along ducklings, let's make this a training exercise. How would you reinforce Miss Fumiyo's room to protect it against intrusion?"

Naruto, Sayaka, and Hinata looked at each other and ignored Fumiyo giggling at their nickname.

"Trap on the window," said Naruto first, raising his hand as if he was in class. "Also the door. Something that explodes, that way it'll be an alarm too."

"Ninja wire across the entrances, as a snare," said Sayaka next. "It'll delay them and give me time to attack or apprehend the intruder."

They all looked at Hinata. She gestured vaguely at her eyes. "I- I would probably s-see them first."

"Honestly, that's probably true," said Kakashi. "There's a reason we got this mission, after all."

"Is it- may I see?" asked Fumiyo. She folded her hands in front of her nervously. "I understand that ninja take these things very seriously, but I've heard so much about the legendary Byakugan…"

"Up to you, Hinata," said Kakashi. He pulled his book out of his pocket, tapping its spine thoughtfully against his hand. "Mmm… in fact, do you and Sayaka feel up to staying with the princess for a while? I'd like to take Naruto with me to scout the city."

"Y-yes sensei."

"I can."

"Alright, in that case, miss, I will leave you girls here for now," said Kakashi, bowing slightly. "I may not see you again tonight, in which case I bid you goodnight and hope you sleep well."

"My thanks, shinobi," said Fumiyo, returning the bow. "I hope your activities go well tonight."

"Thank you, miss. Naruto, let's head out."

"Yes sensei!"

Kakashi caught Naruto by the back of his collar as they left, keeping the blonde from haring off and startling the guards. Naruto made a noise, but held himself down and vibrated instead.

"See you guys later!" he said excitedly, before Kakashi slid the door shut behind him.

The girls watched the door for a moment, blinking.

"He's very excitable," said Sayaka before Fumiyo could voice the question she had opened her mouth to ask.

"Ah," said Fumiyo. She nodded in understanding. "That explains a lot."


	6. Chapter 6

The bath of Princess Hayashi Fumiyo's chambers was as small as the rest of her rooms. Large enough for Fumiyo to bathe alone, with precisely one attendant. There were no windows, and a moment with Hinata's Byakugan showed that they were facing the interior of the palace with thick, wooden walls. The interior was paneled with bamboo, so that it would be resistant to the damp, and included flush mounted cabinets to store towels, stools, and toiletries.

Hinata and Sayaka waited outside, Hinata kneeling on a cushion with her eyes closed but Byakugan active. Sayaka practiced her chakra sensing, eyes closed as she leaned against the wall. Hinata was next to her, a bright light in the darkness, while the princess flickered like a flame in its sconce. Beyond that, Sayaka's senses could make out the tightly-controlled balls of fire that were the guards, stationed around the mansion, as well as a few ashigaru, their chakra dim and poorly trained.

Sayaka opened her eyes and returned to herself. At best, her senses could encompass the mansion, but, now that she wasn't concentrating, her range dropped to just beyond the door to Fumiyo's chambers. Sayaka smoothed the front of her skirt with a small sigh. She needed more time to train.

The door to the bath slid open, allowing a waft of aromatic steam and warm air to roll out over the two ninja. "Will the ladies be making use of the bath?" asked the attendant.

"No," said Sayaka, standing properly. Hinata's Byakugan faded as she stood as well.

"Very well," said the attendant, bowing briefly before stepping out and to the side. Fumiyo emerged a moment later with her hair damp, body wrapped in a yukata. Her makeup had been scrubbed off, leaving her face bare, and her bangs drooped around it to block her vision.

Sayaka looked down as Fumiyo paused and asked her attendant for a hairband. It was a small thing, but it was still an unvarnished glimpse of a girl who spent her days behind masks, both literal and metaphorical. It felt somehow inappropriate to be here, as an outsider, invading the private life of such a person.

"There, how do I look?" Fumiyo asked, and Sayaka glanced up to see the princess looking at her. "The hairband must make my forehead look pretty big."

"It's not so bad," Sayaka said. It _did_ make her forehead look bigger, but that just meant that she didn't look like a princess so much as a normal girl. Maybe another genin from Konoha, or one of the girls their age who helped out at the family shops. "It's cute."

Fumiyo smiled at her and turned to Hinata. "What do you think, Hyuuga-san, do I look cute?"

Hinata nodded. "Y-yes."

"Ah, if only I could dress like this normally," said Fumiyo. She fluffed her long black hair with a sigh. "It's much less trouble, but doing up your hair is important for _appearances_. I envy you ninja and your allowances for practical hair."

Sayaka considered her own hair, which she had been growing out since she was ten and was tied back in a thin, dark ponytail. It stood in contrast to Hinata's, which was cut short but retained long traces next to her ears. Both were a compromise between form and function - it was pointless to make your hair beautiful if it could be used against you.

"It is a small thing," said Sayaka, bowing slightly.

Fumiyo sighed, but nodded in agreement. "You are of course correct. Now, I believe your sensei mentioned that you need some books to read. Come, let me show you my collection."

The princess strode off, clearly expecting to be followed. Sayaka looked over at Hinata, and they both looked over at the attendant. The attendant was another girl, their age, though thankfully just a regular commoner. The attendant shrugged minutely at them.

"You seem very used to having guards, miss," Sayaka said as they moved over to the bookshelf.

"Yes, but usually they are not my age," said Fumiyo. She hummed thoughtfully as she browsed the titles on the spines of the books lining the shelves. "It is refreshing. Perhaps we could have a sleepover? It might be fun."

"Er," said Sayaka, glancing at Hinata. "It would be a breach of mission protocol, miss, so I must decline, but I thank you for your generosity."

Fumiyo sighed. "Of course. Well, here is a series I enjoy."

Sayaka took the book and looked down at its cover. It was a slim volume, no more than one hundred and fifty pages, clothed in red silk with its title in a column at the edge of the cover.

"_A Certain Scroll of Secrets_?" read Sayaka. She flipped it open and thumbed through the pages. "This is a light novel."

"One of the more respectable ones, at least," said Fumiyo. She pulled another one out and turned it over in her hands. "_A Certain Scroll of Secrets_ is about a samurai who always has terrible luck and gets embroiled in many conspiracies in the high courts of a fantasy world. Secret ninjutsu, sword techniques from ancient times, those sorts of things. It's a lot of fun."

"Have y-you read _The Tales of the Dragon Tears_?" asked Hinata. She ran a finger down the spine of a book bound in blue silk. "It is a p-popular book among s-shinobi."

"I did," said Fumiyo. She placed the book in her hands back on the shelf to pick up the tome that Hinata had pointed out. "It is very dark. A sad ending, for the Divine Heir, don't you think?"

"A little," said Hinata. "B-but, if he hadn't, then the c-conflict would never end. That kind of s-sacrifice is to be admired, don't you think?"

Fumiyo sighed. "Perhaps. I cannot help but feel like the one being sacrificed, so perhaps I view it more darkly than you do."

"Ah, w-well," said Hinata. She stopped and looked down at the ground, clasping her fingers together in front of her. "It is a daughter's duty, after all."

They were silent for a moment, thinking that one over.

"At least Prince Eiichi is supposed to be nice," said Fumiyo. She slid the book back onto the shelf. "I'm told that he is an excellent swordsman, for his age, and has been doing well in his studies. If I am to be his wife, I think I will at least be able to have an intelligent conversation with him."

"You seem to have wide-ranging interests, so I'm sure that you will find something to talk about," said Sayaka politely.

Fumiyo huffed a disparaging laugh. "His poetry is vacuous and sentimental, so I will not count my blessings yet."

"Perhaps he s-simply did not realize y-your tastes," said Hinata. "It w-would not be the first t-time a boy was entirely o-oblivious."

Fumiyo laughed more full-heartedly this time. "Ah, perhaps. You are correct that boys are entirely terrible about these things, and it would be just like the Aoyagi to have terrible advisors for matters of a maiden's heart."

"You don't like them?" asked Sayaka.

"Tch, they are beneath my father's notice," said Fumiyo. She flicked her sleeves irritably. "The Aoyagi family made its name as sailors attached to no lord. They are merely pirates dressed in silks, and their control over the port will simply divert the flow of corrupt coins from the pockets of Gato into the coffers of the Aoyagi. The tax revenue the Aoyagi were to collect will be mysteriously lost and I, woman that I am, will not be able to effect any meaningful changes within my father's lifetime. One can only hope that, when my brother inherits the title, I will be able to provide some assistance. Alas that we are so young. Maybe if the current clan leader was a widower…"

Sayaka and Hinata glanced at each other in alarm. She didn't mean—?

"The walls have ears, m'lady," said the attendant quietly. "Though we feel your anger, it is unwise to say such things aloud."

Fumiyo frowned and flicked her sleeves again. "Come, Hana, please fetch my koto. I may as well get some practice in before sleeping."

The attendant girl bowed, then retreated. A small squad of servants appeared to briefly rearrange the room for Fumiyo, vanishing again before Hana returned with the long instrument and its playing stand. It was made in the traditional fashion, from paulownia wood, inlaid with mother of pearl and gold with strings of silk and bridges of ivory.

"M'lady," said Hana, bowing as she laid the instrument down upon a small rug of felt left behind by one of the prior servants. Sayaka and Hinata seated themselves in seiza next to it, arranged so they could see the window and door.

"Thank you," said Fumiyo, before kneeling gracefully in front of the koto. "Do either of you practice, shinobi?"

"I d-dabble a little," said Hinata, eyes cast downwards politely. "Sayaka does not."

"I see," said Fumiyo. She rang a finger across the strings, making the koto hum. "Hana, do you have my tsume— ah, thank you."

Hana took Fumiyo's hand into hers and fitted the small ivory picks onto Fumiyo's right hand thumb, index, and middle fingers. Fumiyo took a moment to adjust them very slightly, but of course Hana had been helping Fumiyo with the koto for years now, and knew how Fumiyo wore her tsume. Fumiyo gave Hana a small smile of thanks, then looked down to the koto before her. She placed her hands upon the strings, then began to play.

It was a song of deep, deep sadness. Given the circumstances, it was perhaps natural. Nobody _liked_ being used as Fumiyo was, and while there was something to be said about being part of a greater purpose, it was no great comfort when looking to the future and what it held for you.

Sayaka held back a sigh as Fumiyo's fingers called out to the heavens and received no reply. She thought of those days just after her family had died—how the world had been cold and the days had spun on and on, never ending, never ceasing, a pointless grind as she trained and trained and nothing worked, until the night had come like a thief, snatching away the daylight and forcing her to bed where she had despaired of hope ever returning to her.

Fumiyo finished the song and laid her fingers on the strings to still them. They trembled.

"Will Hana be going with you to the Aoyagi?" Sayaka asked.

Fumiyo shook her head. "She has family in my father's household. I… I would not take her away from them."

"I see," said Sayaka, and she looked down at her hands. She was forced to wonder what would have happened if she had not been placed under Hiroyo's care. Without that kind of support, someone to tell her feelings to, who could understand and speak to her as only women could speak to other women…

"I— I would be willing, my lady," Hana said quietly, bowing very low. "If you would have my unworthy presence, I would gladly serve you all the days of my life."

Fumiyo turned in surprise, recoiling in shock as Hana pressed herself to the floor in ultimate supplication.

"Hana-chan," Fumiyo sighed, discarding her tsume to pull Hana up from her dogeza. "Oh Hana, why would you say such things? Think of your parents, your siblings."

Hana wiped her eyes but looked back at Fumiyo firmly. "I have. We have already made preparations, and— and— if you did not ask, I would have beseeched Lord Hayashi for permission anyway. Please, my lady, won't you let me come with you?"

Sayaka and Hinata politely let themselves out of the room as Fumiyo pulled Hana into a hug. It was not something the guards should be seeing. Besides, they could monitor things easily enough from outside.

* * *

The next day was consumed by clothes fitting. Kakashi and Naruto had a relatively easy time of it, since they only needed to look presentable during the first few days of the celebration. When the procession started, they would be ranging along the periphery and relatively hidden from view. Sayaka and Hinata, on the other hand, were an intimate part of the procession to the Aoyagi mansion, and needed to look the part.

The tailors Lord Hayashi had brought in were very good at their jobs. This unfortunately meant that none of the clothing they came up with was suitable for ninja. It had been the subject of a small argument which, in the end, was only resolved by Fumiyo personally arriving to declare that since it was her betrothal, she was the final arbiter of what clothes her attendants were allowed to wear.

"As they are there to protect me, it would be pointless for Lady Hyuuga and Lady Uchiha to wear clothing they are unable to move freely in," said Fumiyo. "It is no insult if their skirts are a little shorter than is appropriate for a civilian."

In the defense of the tailor, they had taken Fumiyo's pronouncement very well, and had even warmed up to the idea.

"It _is_ a novel approach," they said, looping their tape measure around Sayaka's waist and humming thoughtfully. "The pattern needn't change too much, and of course it would take too long to re-design from scratch, but you will need leggings. I suppose we already have ones for the pages we could co-opt… yes, it would look cute…"

Sayaka blinked, nonplussed, but didn't say anything. Kobakama leggings were entirely functional, and she didn't have any problems wearing things most people thought were for boys. She wondered if it would be odd to wear greaves too.

By the end of the day, a rough outline of what they would be wearing had been completed, and by the end of the week the outfits had been finalized. The furisode sleeves had been shortened and their interiors lined with pockets for weapons and tools of all sorts. The skirts had been shortened as well, taken up just past the knees then let out to allow them to ride up for the deeper taijutsu stances. Sayaka's was a dark, navy blue, embroidered with brightly-colored cherry blossoms and a crimson obi. Meanwhile, Hinata's took the opposite tack, starting white and fading to pink towards the hems, without any embroidery. Her obi was a darker lavender that matched her eyes, with gold along its edges. Both Sayaka and Hinata would be wearing the black silk formal kobakama that were being given to the pages escorting the palanquin, though modified somewhat to be a little more effeminate. Sayaka wasn't sure, exactly, how the tailor had managed to make combat wear look attractive, but she had to admit that she didn't mind the way it made her look. It made her feel very adult and powerful, and she wondered how boys back home might react to her new outfit.

However, she _knew_ how boys would react to Hinata's outfit, especially if she were wearing makeup and a little jewelry. Kakashi and Naruto had been standing around waiting when Hinata had emerged from the dressing room, finished faster with getting dressed than Sayaka.

"W-wow," Sayaka heard Naruto stammer while she was waiting for the attendant to finish dabbing on her lipstick. "H-hinata-chan, is that you?"

"Do you like it?" Hinata asked, almost inaudible to Sayaka through the curtain dividing the dressing room from the waiting area.

"You look really beautiful," said Naruto earnestly. "I— wow. You're so pretty!"

"T-t-thank you, Naruto-kun…"

"There you are, Lady Uchiha," said Sayaka's attendant, stepping back. "That should be good. Please give it a few seconds to dry."

"Thank you," said Sayaka. She got to her feet and pulled back the curtain, stepping through to see how the rest of the team was.

"I never noticed how pretty your eyes are, Hinata-chan," Naruto said as Sayaka emerged, completely ignoring her in favor of taking Hinata's hand for no particular reason. "That sounds really bad, now that I say that out loud, heh…"

"I-it's okay," said Hinata, going bright red but smiling at him shyly from behind her eyelashes. "I— I usually don't wear this much m-makeup."

"Ah, right right, because your, um—"

"Eyeliner," Sayaka offered.

"Right that. It makes your eyes more noticeable, Hinata-chan, it's really cute."

"T-t-thank you!"

"Alright, Naruto, let's get back to the mission," said Kakashi. He tapped Naruto on the head gently with a book. "You look good, Sayaka."

Sayaka bobbed her head demurely. "Thank you sensei."

"It looks like there should be no problems for the procession," Kakashi continued, looking the team over and finding nothing amiss. The vast quantity of weapons Sayaka had secreted into her clothes was invisible to anyone not trained to find them. "Do you have anything to report, Naruto?"

"No sensei," said Naruto. He cleared his throat, but seemed unwilling to let go of Hinata's hand at the moment. "I already updated the carrier guys on the new route, the boltholes are all fine, and nothing's really happened with the princess. We're all good for tomorrow."

"Hinata?"

"No sensei, n-nothing new to report."

"Sayaka?"

"No sensei."

"Alright, well, then in that case, enjoy the rest of the day," said Kakashi. "Remember that we're still on mission, and that we still don't know if there are any ninja in Gato's employ. Konoha is getting back to me on that backup, but the mission is still staying at B-rank for now."

Sayaka sighed. They'd officially concluded that the risk was too great to ignore on the evening they had first had their clothes fitted, and sent a messenger bird back to Konoha. The response had been noncommittal, which Team Minami, Minami herself excepted, had been surprised by.

"But— but Hatake-san is a respected jounin," Naga had said in disbelief. "Why wouldn't they believe him?"

"Konoha has a habit of ignoring its field ninja," Minami said bitterly. "It wants 'confirmation of the threat' so that it doesn't waste its resources."

"But the threat is _right here!_" said Naga, scandalized. "We have _evidence!_"

"What you have is _circumstantial_ evidence," said Kakashi, "and despite how suspicious it looks, if Konoha had gone haring off after every suspicious lead we wouldn't be as powerful as we are now. Waiting for more evidence isn't a bad thing when you need to avoid being stretched thin."

"This isn't a war, Hatake," said Minami. "We're not holding back reserves to counter an offensive from Iwagakure. We're talking about having more than one jounin, one chunin, and six genin around to guard a princess of an important family in a major economic center. Even a team of three chunin would be enough to be useful."

Kakashi sighed. "I will not speculate on Konoha's manpower. We should be patient. It may just be a case of waiting for a team to finish a mission before they head over."

Minami scoffed. "Fine. In that case, we're done here."

That had been last night, after they had conducted a sweep of the castle and found nothing amiss. It had also been the last time they had talked to Team Minami as ninja. They had retreated into their role as servants to honored guests, and Sayaka could only presume they were conducting their own surveillance sweeps and simply hadn't found anything.

"Well, let's get changed," said Naruto. He grinned. "The city's actually real cool even if some of the officials suck. I found a great ramen joint out in the city when I was scouting earlier!"

"Of course you did," said Sayaka. She flicked a kunai out of her sleeve experimentally, and was pleased to find that it slid neatly into her hand.

"U-um, it _is_ nearly lunchtime," said Hinata, squeezing Naruto's hand with her own. "M-maybe we could go v-visit?"

"I'll stay here," said Sayaka. "I want to do a few forms in these clothes."

"Jeez, Sayaka, you're always training," said Naruto, frowning at her. "We're allowed to have fun, you know."

Sayaka sniffed at him. "Still."

"Bah, whatever, have it your way," said Naruto. He grinned at Hinata. "C'mon, Hinata-chan, I'll meet you at the gate?"

"Y-yes, of course!"

"Then I'm going to change in the rooms," said Naruto, finally letting go of Hinata's hand and heading for the door. "See you there!"

He ran off, leaving Hinata behind with a broad smile across her face.

"Right, you two have fun," said Sayaka. She flicked the kunai in her hand back into its place in her sleeve.

"Remember," Kakashi said gravely, "Naruto's oblivious, so you'll have to kiss him first."

Hinata went bright red.

"S-s-s-sensei!"

* * *

Breathe in. Two. Three. Four.

Out. Two. Three. Four.

Sayaka exploded into motion, snapping her arms out and dropping into a classic academy guard. Step block punch kick, then switch stances and turn, then—

—duck the blade of a wooden sword, slicing cleanly at neck level, spinning her ninja wire out of her sleeves as she snapped up into her guard and faced Princess Fumiyo, both girls with their weapons at the ready.

"Fight me," Fumiyo commanded, before charging.

Sayaka flicked her wire back, coiling it into her sleeves and dodging another cut aimed at her midriff. Fumiyo did not have the skill of Daisuke nor the reckless courage of Naruto, and keeping her at a distance wasn't difficult for Sayaka to do. This didn't faze the princess, who returned her sword to an imaginary sheath, then pushed forward with a burst of chakra.

Sayaka blocked the cut with her kunai.

"A good cut," said Sayaka. Her off hand hovered just in front of Fumiyo's nose. "You have some skill with a blade, miss."

"I told you that I trained," said Fumiyo.

They disengaged, and Sayaka flicked her kunai back into her sleeve.

"These are your clothes for the procession?" asked Fumiyo, sword lowered down next to her knees. "You look good in them."

"Thank you," said Sayaka, bowing slightly. "What brings you to the practice field, miss?"

"I am restless," said Fumiyo. She flicked her blade as if she was going to return it to its sheath, but remembered that she wasn't wearing one because it was a practice sword only. "It has been… a trying morning."

Sayaka considered. This sounded like a conversation she would normally avoid, or push onto Hinata before running away.

"Do you… want to talk about it?" asked Sayaka awkwardly. "Perhaps after another spar?"

She immediately regretted the suggestion—Naruto must have been rubbing off on her somehow—but Fumiyo was already nodding in agreement and Sayaka couldn't back out now. Maybe it would be fine, since technically Sayaka was also something like a princess?

"That would be nice, yes," said Fumiyo. She flicked her practice sword again. "Though, I am not your equal."

Sayaka bowed demurely. "Perhaps I can wield a sword, like you? My guardian has trained me in a little of the samurai styles, but those skills are not suited to a ninja's role."

Fumiyo returned the bow. "If you wish."

Sayaka looked off to the side of the practice field, where a small array of practice swords stood in a stand. She walked over and picked one out, swinging it experimentally twice, then returning to where Fumiyo was waiting.

"We will see the difference between a samurai and a ninja then," said Fumiyo as she raised her sword. Sayaka mirrored the motion and deepened her stance into the foundational form that Hiroyo had taught her.

"Perhaps," said Sayaka.

There was a pause.

Fumiyo struck first, sword blurring in a cut towards Sayaka's left side. Sayaka blocked, stepping forward and inside Fumiyo's guard to aim an elbow at Fumiyo's face. The noble daughter twisted, sweeping her blade around towards Sayaka's opposite side. This forced Sayaka to turn and block it with a frown, while Fumiyo grinned fiercely.

They looked at each other across their crossed blades, pausing again, and considering their opponent, before Fumiyo stepped back to disengage. Sayaka followed, keeping the blades locked and twisting to try and disarm her client. Instead, Fumiyo came to a halt and aimed a kick at Sayaka's gut.

Sayaka was forced to twist aside, allowing the blades to come undone and giving Fumiyo the chance to swing her blade upwards. Their swords came together again, but Sayaka was unbalanced, at least as a samurai, and Fumiyo knew how to press her advantage. Her hand snapped out, grasping Sayaka by the lapel, and pulling her forward until the point of Fumiyo's sword rested in the hollow of Sayaka's neck.

They froze.

Fumiyo was breathing hard. Sayaka, only very slightly. They looked each other in the eye, holding their stances, words not yet said hovering in the air.

"I yield," said Sayaka, allowing the point of her sword to drop.

"Do you really?" asked Fumiyo, grin turning into a frown. "Or are you humoring me, like my father's retainers?"

Sayaka considered. It was true, she normally would have abandoned the samurai forms to regain her momentum, then moved in at speed to try and kill Fumiyo with a kunai to the neck, chest, or abdomen. But now that she was in this position…

"I do," said Sayaka. "Once you broke my guard, I was finished. If it had been a real fight, I would be dead."

"If you were a samurai."

There was a pause. Then, Sayaka conceded the point with a nod.

Fumiyo snarled and turned to hurl her sword point first into the ground. Her chakra lent it power, and despite being wood it bit into the dirt and stayed fast. For a moment, Fumiyo seethed, chakra boiling off in visible waves from her shoulders, before it snapped back into her body with a force of will.

"You are lucky, as a ninja," Fumiyo said as calmly as she could. Her voice wavered with anger. "The things you are allowed to do… I dream of them, sometimes."

Sayaka didn't respond. She wasn't sure what to say, exactly, to such a pronouncement, but hoped that her silence would not be taken as an insult.

"Do you know, I have spent the morning being retaught my duties as a wife?" Fumiyo said. "As if I am unaware of such things. Just because I am the bastard child of my father and a whore does not mean that I am inattentive to my studies. One's blood does not define one's ability to _read_."

Sayaka grimaced. It was true that such prejudices were possible, but she also suspected that Lord Hayashi's retainers were only doing their due diligence.

"I have spent the last several days indoors, longing to use my sword against one of my father's samurai, but did you know that this is unladylike behavior? Prince Eiichi would be shocked if he knew that I trained regularly! What if I developed callouses! How scandalous!"

Sayaka silently noted that she had specifically reeled back her ninja wire in case it cut Fumiyo's face. She rather suspected that Fumiyo knew this.

"As if my ability to bear children would be impacted by how rough my hands are!" said Fumiyo, and Sayaka was impressed by the way the princess turned what normally would have been a shout into a thin hiss that wouldn't carry far but conveyed all the rage that had been building up for the last three days. "As if a man's dick wouldn't get hard if I grabbed him by the balls and tugged!"

"Wait, is that how it works?" Sayaka asked, blinking. "I thought that— wait."

Sayaka felt herself flush in embarrassment as Fumiyo came up short, turning on the spot to stare at Sayaka. What was Sayaka thinking?

"S-sorry," she muttered, looking down at the ground and hoping to melt into the dirt. Kami above, why did she say that?

Fumiyo was silent for a moment longer, then burst into laughter. Sayaka was relieved at first, but to her alarm, the laughter quickly turned into tears. What was Sayaka supposed to do _now_? Where was Hinata when she needed her? She cast about for what Hinata might do.

"Er, do you… want a hug?" Sayaka asked.

Fumiyo nodded. Sayaka walked over and tentatively pulled Fumiyo into her arms. The princess muffled her crying into Sayaka's shoulder as Sayaka glanced around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Thankfully, they weren't being watched, and Sayaka carefully guided Fumiyo over to a bench before sitting them down.

Eventually, the tears began to slow. "I don't want to get married, Sayaka," Fumiyo said eventually. "I _don't_."

Sayaka rubbed circles into Fumiyo's back. "You are not getting married tomorrow, miss. It is only a betrothal ceremony. There is still the chance that things will change."

Fumiyo laughed morosely. "Not unless my father raises taxes, and he will not do so."

"Why not ask him?"

"As if he would listen," said Fumiyo. Her voice was bitter. "I am his beloved daughter but I am too young and too inexperienced to understand such matters. Or so he would say."

"He cares for you deeply, though," said Sayaka. "I'm sure, if you phrased it—"

"I have _tried_," said Fumiyo. Fresh tears sprung from her eyes. "I have _tried_ and he _does not listen_. Once he has decided on something, only calamity will deter him. That is how I was born, after all."

Sayaka was now in dangerous waters. "I see. I am sure that, um, he is wiser now."

"Only about women," said Fumiyo scathingly. "His heart guides him, and the same is true with my brother. Men of great compassion, but also great foolishness. Perhaps more whore's daughters are needed after all — I seem to have inherited my mother's willingness to do what is necessary for survival."

"Please stop calling yourself that, miss," said Sayaka. "Even if you do not mind, it puts me in an awkward position."

Fumiyo huffed. "Alright."

They sat quietly for a moment, Fumiyo wiping her tears against Sayaka's kimono. The tailor had asked Sayaka to return it after her training for laundering, and Sayaka was sure that they would be scandalized by the makeup that was now rubbed across it.

Ah well.

"I envy you so, Sayaka," Fumiyo said after a moment. "Can't you take me away from here?"

"I cannot," said Sayaka.

Fumiyo sighed. "I know."

"I am sorry."

"Do not apologize."

Fumiyo sat up and eyed Sayaka's kimono critically. "I have gotten makeup all over your clothes. I apologize for my outburst."

"It seems that you needed the time," said Sayaka, bowing her head slightly. "I… I am honored that you confided in me."

"It's just— I had wanted to prove to myself that I could be more than a wife and a bearer of children," said Fumiyo, turning away to look down at the ground. "There have been so many lessons about those things, and I know that I can be more than that. But then…"

Sayaka bit her lip and remained silent.

"Ah, well, it is only natural," said Fumiyo. "You train more than I do, and so of course you are my better in combat."

"I could—" Sayaka began, before stopping. "Well, there is not much to teach in only a day."

"True enough," said Fumiyo.

They fell silent. Sayaka wondered what she should say. Despite her reputation among her classmates, Sayaka was not made of ice and fire. She did not like seeing others hurt the way Fumiyo was hurting. But what _could_ she say? It would have been one thing if Fumiyo was another ninja, like Sakura or Ino, but the difference between a kunoichi and a princess was tremendous, and Sayaka didn't know what advice or words of comfort she could give.

As the silence continued, Sayaka's thoughts turned to Kiba. She wondered if he was back from his mission yet. It seemed likely, and he would probably leave a time and place to meet in the bamboo container in the tree. She wondered how things were supposed to work if they got married. Typically, the man was the head of household, but there was no chance that Sayaka would let herself become an_ Inuzuka_. That would mean having Kiba marry into _her_ family, but then would that make Sayaka head of house? She had to be clan head, right? Unless, since she was a girl…

She frowned, and then tried to hide her expression. No, Sayaka had privileges beyond Fumiyo's in that regard, and it was silly to think otherwise. The truth was, if they had met as part of their clans rather than as client and protector, Sayaka would outrank Fumiyo. Sayaka was the scion of a clan of great renown, known even outside of shinobi circles. Fumiyo was…

Well, she was not the same.

It begged the question though, what would happen to Fumiyo? No marriage was possible until she was much older, but even so, the position she was in would not change significantly. In some ways, Fumiyo was right to be upset — her power was limited and her privileges few. It was a hard life to live, especially for someone like Fumiyo, who wished to do what she felt was right to keep her family safe and her realm powerful.

With a cold rush, Sayaka realized that, strictly, it would have been her life too. If her brother hadn't… done what he had, she would not have been the heir. She would have been the second child, the daughter, eventually married to a third or fourth cousin with good prospects and a strong bloodline. She would have been subordinate to her husband, bowing to his wishes and influencing him in what ways she could.

Sayaka wondered, in that different story, if she would have been content. She couldn't remember anything about that time, at least not much. She remembered enjoying the time she spent with her mother, learning about the different things that an Uchiha woman needed to learn. She remembered being proud when she did something correctly and was praised by her father for learning so well how to be a proper lady.

Perhaps, then, she would not have realized what she did not have. But perhaps, also, Sayaka would have been bothered by her husband, been upset by things she thought were wrong, and tried to correct them. Her husband would have been prominent in the clan, and she would have wanted him to take a stand for things that she believed were right.

"I think, miss," Sayaka began slowly, untangling her thoughts as she went, "that it would be wrong to give up hope. To be a wife is no small thing."

"Why do you say that?" asked Fumiyo quietly.

"Because… because, we girls still have influence over the boys we marry," said Sayaka. She looked down at her hands and carefully formed her words. "Of course, it is not the same as doing it yourself, but it is also natural for a wife to want her husband to do the right thing, and it is her duty to keep him from foolishness."

Sayaka looked up at Fumiyo, who looked back at her with red-rimmed eyes. " I think the things you worry about may be fought against," Sayaka continued. "They are things which are not set in stone unless you allow them to be. So do not give up hope."

Fumiyo closed her eyes and breathed slowly. For a long while, there was no sound except the distant bustle of the castle and the breeze rustling the leaves of distant trees. Then Fumiyo walked over to her sword and pulled it out of the ground.

"You are right," she said, and wiped the dirt off of the wood onto the hem of her dress. "It is no time to despair. I am the daughter of a samurai, after all."

She turned to look Sayaka in the eyes.

"So I will fight to the end like one."

* * *

Team Eight had returned sometime around nine in the evening, ragged and barely holding together. Their mission had fallen apart, and having made it back to Konoha at all felt like a small miracle. The gate teams had whisked them to the hospital immediately, with one group taking custody of their client for questioning while another took down Team Eight's preliminary report and left to deliver it to the Hokage.

The contents of the preliminary report had been alarming, to say the least. Team Eight had found itself attacked by a four man team led by Momochi Zabuza, one of the most dangerous ninja ever produced by the Village Hidden in the Mist. Even a sighting would have been enough to send Hiruzen hurrying from his office to the reporting team's hospital room — an attack sent quiet orders to ANBU headquarters to begin preparations for rapid deployment. By the time the Hokage had arrived in Team Eight's hospital room, multiple ANBU teams were awake, equipped, and reading briefing documents while waiting on orders from their Hokage.

Kiba and Akamaru were in the best shape, paradoxically because they were the least useful in the team's desperate retreat. Kiba had spent most of the time carrying their client, which was necessary but hadn't been what had saved them. It had been Shino's bugs and their early warning network that kept them one step ahead of their pursuers, and genjutsu from both Sakura and Kurenai-sensei that had kept them hidden when they couldn't evade.

"We will try to keep this debrief short," said Hiruzen, pulling his pipe out habitually as he sat down in the visitor's chair in the hospital room Sakura and Shino had been placed in to recover. Danzo eased himself into a chair brought in by a nurse, hands clasped on top of his walking stick. A single iris was the only piece of color in the otherwise starkly white room, slid into a thin vase that stood next to a pot of tea with two cups atop the side table that divided Shino and Sakura's beds.

"Thank you, sir," said Kurenai. "May I ask why the urgency?"

"Well, there are a few reasons involving our strategic posture and how the area you were attacked impacts it," said Hiruzen. He took a drag on his pipe despite nothing being in it. "There are also implications for operations in the area, and we need to update our intelligence. Unfortunately, I cannot go into further detail for security reasons."

"I understand, sir."

"Now, we can guess at many of the details about your mission," said Hiruzen, "so let's start with when things went wrong."

Kurenai nodded. "The mission progressed smoothly up until the crossing into Wave Country. We were engaged roughly one hour's walk into the territory by Momochi Zabuza."

The Third Hokage flicked his fingers and an ANBU appeared, holding a map up for Hiruzen to read. "Let's see… one hour's walk at civilian pace… I see, yes. And you were not engaged prior to this?"

"No sir."

"One would think that an attack on the main road would be worthwhile," said Hiruzen.

"If they know the client has gone to Konoha—" pointed out Danzo.

"—ah yes, of course," said Hiruzen, nodding. "Better to attack where it is harder for the target to retreat. And they were after the bridge builder, is that correct Kurenai?"

"Yes sir," said Kurenai. "The client…"

"Don't worry about that, Ibiki is handling it," said Hiruzen. He looked up at Kurenai. "Please, continue."

"Kiba, Sakura, and Shino retreated with the client while I led Zabuza off with genjutsu," said Kurenai. "As my strengths did not lie in taijutsu, I created a scenario that Zabuza would believe before retreating southwards. Kiba was able to find me and lead me back to the team, and we moved in standard formation for the coast. At this time, we realized we were being tracked by the Demon Brothers, thanks to Shino's kikaichu network. We were unable to move fast enough, and they outflanked us. Sakura and I created a combination genjutsu, and this allowed us to hide and then retreat."

Hiruzen nodded. "This pattern continues, and you are herded away from the coast. Impressive work, Sakura, Shino."

Shino bowed as deeply as he could, and Sakura smiled weakly. Both genin were propped up against pillows for the debriefing, sitting as best they could through the exhaustion.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Sakura said. "It was thanks to sensei's training that we pulled it off."

"Alas that I cannot promote you further, Kurenai," said Hiruzen, smiling a little before sighing heavily. "All things considered, though, we would not have expected you to survive. How did you escape?"

"Three days ago, Zabuza called off the search," said Kurenai.

Hiruzen blinked. "Why?"

"Zabuza said that they had another mission," said Kiba. "Er, sir."

Both Hiruzen and Danzo looked at each other, their body language stiffening with alarm. "How did you hear this?"

Kiba looked at Shino. "We had just made camp when my insects detected movement," said Shino. He coughed dryly, and poured himself a cup of tea. He sipped it before continuing: "The team hid its presence as best it could, then took cover in the forest. Sakura—"

He broke off into another coughing fit. A week of hiding in damp forest undergrowth, kept wet by unending drizzle, had not been kind to his lungs. Sakura continued the retelling.

"The enemy team already knew where our camp was and was converging to our location from multiple directions," she said, doing her best to seem professional. "We did not have enough advance notice to slip through a gap in their formation, so we decided to shelter in place."

She paused to pour herself a cup of tea, but her hands were still shaking and she couldn't hold the teapot steady. Shino wordlessly reached over to pour tea for her, and Sakura gave him a brief grateful smile.

"We knew that sensei and I could make a strong genjutsu to mask our presence," Sakura continued. "So we retreated to a cluster of bushes and hid in them. The enemy team came within five meters of our position, but they did not find us."

"Akamaru was able to hear their conversation when Zabuza showed up," said Kiba with a fond smile, scratching the ears of the dozing pup in his lap. "He told me, I told sensei, and then sensei told you, sir."

Danzo breathed in very slowly. "Hiruzen."

"Yes," said Hiruzen. He closed his eyes. "If he had a mission, then he had to leave early to prepare. An old jounin like him will only need a day or two, which means that his destination needs to be within one day's run. There are only three locations, but two of them are fishing villages of little interest. That leaves—"

"—Senfuku," finished Danzo. He clenched his hands on top of his staff.

Hiruzen waved a hand, and the map was taken away. He seemed desperately in need of a smoke. "Damn you, Gato. You are a fool, but could you not have picked a better time to be foolish?"

"Team Eagle and Team Ox are our fastest," said Danzo, "they can get there in eighteen hours, but even then it will be clean-up only, at this point."

"We will find out when it happens," said Hiruzen, looking over at Danzo sharply. "Captain Eagle."

"Sir," said another ANBU, appearing at a crouch in front of Hiruzen.

"Take your team and Team Ox and prepare to advance to Senfuku at maximum speed. Team Ox will be tasked with the neutralization of Momochi Zabuza. His status is unknown, but he leads a four man team. Team Eagle is tasked with recovery and extraction, with objectives to be determined at your discretion at the mission site. Report back to me before your departure for additional details — we will need a little time to compile them."

"Sir," said Eagle, bowing his head sharply before vanishing.

"What's the matter, Hokage-sama?" asked Kurenai. "What's happening in Senfuku?"

Danzo and Hiruzen glanced at each other.

"Do not concern yourself at this time," said Danzo simply. He got to his feet, leaning heavily on his walking stick. "For now, your team must recover from its mission. We will inform you if anything of interest comes from the bridge builder."

"But sir—"

"Kurenai, focus on your team," said Hiruzen kindly as he got up to follow his advisor to the door. "You have all done very well. This mission will be re-rated as an A-class mission and marked as complete on your team's record."

Kiba looked over at his teammates, grinning. Shino was as emotionless as usual, but his head was tilted in the way that meant he was pleased by the result. Sakura managed a tired smile back at Kiba, and picked up her teacup to take a sip.

"Of course, we will not be assigning you A-rank missions regularly," said Hiruzen. He slid open the door to the hospital room, "but your achievements ought to be acknowledged. The village is grateful for your service."

The Hokage took a moment to turn and bow to the room, then straightened and closed the door with a quiet thunk.

"Well, that'll be cool to have on my record," said Kiba, stretching in place with a sigh.

"Let's not do it again for a while," said Sakura, slouching in her bed and sliding herself down to pull the covers up. "I'm so tired…"

Shino coughed again, and took another sip of tea. "I am glad that we are all safe."

"Yeah, that's— yeah," said Kiba quietly. "We'll get stronger though, and it'll be better next time."

Kurenai smiled fondly at her genin team, but glanced at the door that the Hokage had just left through. The reactions from him and Danzo…

What could be happening in Senfuku?


	7. Chapter 7

In truth, there were two processions that Fumiyo would be part of. The second came after her weeklong stay with the Aoyagi clan in their mansion on the other side of the city. It was intended to be a quiet affair, not really a procession as much as a relatively formal escort back to Hayashi castle. Neither bride nor groom was of an age where marriage was acceptable, after all, and the whole affair was intentionally ceremonial. While normally the delivery of the bride to the groom's home was permanent, in this case it was more a declaration of intent. If any canoodling happened to occur, it would be considered a bonus.

The first procession would happen Sunday afternoon, after appropriate festivities in the morning. Several ceremonial events were scheduled for the rest of the week afterwards, but those were not the pressing concerns just before eight in the morning on the day of the first procession.

"Guests are scheduled to arrive _this early?_" Naruto asked incredulously. Team Seven was hustling their way to the mansion in order to escort their client. The trip was a short one, just to the main parade square in the center of the castle, where the celebration's morning festivities were supposed to be. It did not need armed guards, but appearances needed to be kept.

"Did you not read the schedule?" Sayaka asked irritably. The tailor had indeed been quite upset at the makeup on her clothes, but they were also a magician and Sayaka's formal wear was once again pristine.

"I mean, no."

"_Why?_"

"Because it's not complicated, right?" said Naruto. "It's just friggen, you know, standing around all day. The lunch doesn't even have ramen!"

"Yeah but you need to know _when to be there_," said Sayaka. She resisted the urge to slap Naruto upside the head—they'd finally found a way to turn his hair into less of a mess and he looked respectable for the first time in his life. She wasn't about to ruin it.

They made it just in time and checked in with Tokuyama Norihide, the samurai who had met them at the gate and who Minami had said was in charge of security. As matched his role, Tokuyama was not dressed in the kind of resplendent armor that the rest of the honor guard had arrived in, but was instead in simple combat gear. Ready for a fight, but not part of the show being put on for all the others. His role would be to keep watch from a distance.

"Shinobi," said Tokuyama, nodding sharply at them as Team Seven gathered around. "It is time."

"It is," said Kakashi. "Has anything changed?"

Tokuyama shook his head. "No updates, the plan stays the same."

Kakashi nodded. "Very good. Sayaka, Hinata, are you two ready?"

"Yes."

"Y-yes sensei."

"Head inside then, you'll need to be with the princess from here on out. Naruto, you're bringing up the rear while I'll be near the head of the column. Tokuyama-san wants us there so that the team can bracket the entire entourage."

"Understood, sensei!"

"Anything I've forgotten, Tokuyama-san?" Kakashi asked, turning back to the samurai.

Tokuyama shook his head. "Your team is well drilled, shinobi. Go, to your stations, and we will meet again before noon."

They bowed to each other, and Hinata and Sayaka left. The servants opened the doors to the entrance hall for them, then Hana ushered the two kunoichi through several back hallways to the bottom of the staircase that led to the family's chambers.

"Wait here please," Hana said, bowing briefly before leaving, hurrying for Fumiyo's rooms.

Sayaka breathed deep and pooled her chakra into her core, letting it swirl briefly before dispersing it back into her limbs. She was suddenly, unaccountably nervous. It was an unreasonable thing—it wasn't her betrothal and she was as good at being a polite noble girl as Hinata was—but it made her want to palm a kunai anyway.

Hinata was a pool of serenity next to her. Sayaka envied the girl her calm, though perhaps it was just a case of practice. Hinata likely needed to apply her skills on a regular basis, but Sayaka hadn't needed to be this careful about protocol for years. In fact, Sayaka lived in an apartment that was tiny by the standards of any other clan and did her own cleaning. By some measures, she was barely a noble at all.

Sayaka hummed thoughtfully. She wondered if she should be thinking about getting more impressive lodging. Maybe it would help her standing among the clans? But it would be a distraction from training…

Something for later, she decided. She looked up and spotted Naga in a corner, appearing to be watering plants but secretly keeping watch over the proceedings. Nobuo was off the side, carrying a tray full of fabric of some kind. Ota was actually on a roof, hiding well enough that Sayaka kept losing track of him.

It was a shame they weren't Konoha ninja. They did a remarkable job compared to some of the genin Sayaka had graduated with.

Then a door opened and Sayaka looked up to see Fumiyo descending, dressed in a powder blue kimono, adorned with swallows in gold thread, and tied with a dark blue obi of fine silk. Her hair had been done up and pinned with gold as well, but lacked the traditional headdress of a bride. Of course, she wasn't one—this was a celebration of her betrothal and _not_ of her marriage.

"My lady," said Sayaka and Hinata together, bowing from the waist deeply as Fumiyo arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ladies Hyuuga, Uchiha," said Fumiyo with a small smile, inclining her head. "It is strange, referring to you by your titles, when today you will be serving as my guards. Would it be too familiar for me to refer to you by your names?"

"Of course not, miss," said Hinata, coming out of her bow with a smile. "Though, for propriety's sake, we will continue to refer to your ladyship by your title."

"Of course," said Fumiyo. Her smile broadened. "It is good to have friends by my side today."

"We are honored," said Hinata, and she and Sayaka bowed again, but less steeply, because such formality amongst friends was unnecessary.

"Fumiyo, you're early," said Lord Hayashi, striding up. He was in full regalia, dressed in brilliantly decorated and polished battle armor with lacquered family crests dazzling across it and a helmet topped with horsehair and great horns of gold-plated steel. Atop the armor he wore a set of powder blue jinbaori, run through with gold, and his swords hung by his hip on silk cords.

"Yes father," said Fumiyo, bowing.

"Your brother is—?"

"Here father," said Fumiyo's older brother, and Sayaka eyed him as she bowed. He was only fourteen or so, not as tall as his father yet but growing. His armor was not well fitted, slightly too large, but it was fully functional even with the slightly ostentatious decorations which, in Sayaka's opinion, were not in the best of taste. The jinbaori he wore was identical to his father's, of course, and his swords were tied the same as well.

"Ah, good, I was worried you would be late," said Lord Hayashi. He clapped his son on the shoulder. "Your armor is terrible."

"Shove off, father," grumbled Fumiyo's brother, punching his father in the kidneys. The blow wasn't very strong, and Lord Hayashi's armor deadened it.

"Hah! Your fashion sense is worse than mine," laughed Lord Hayashi. "Still, it's not bad, Kyousuke. I'm sure your mother will disagree, but…"

"It's terrible, but I'm used to it," said Lady Hayashi, descending the steps regally, carrying her newborn child close and being assisted by a maid. "Thank you, Eriko."

"My lady," said the maid, bowing and stepping back as they reached the end of the steps.

It was apparent immediately to Sayaka that Lady Hayashi was very different from her husband and son. She carried herself with an air of disdain that reminded Sayaka of Hinata's father, but softened by femininity in a way that almost made her approachable.

Not that she was approachable. Lady Hayashi seemed to instinctively make the servants lower their gazes, and even Sayaka found herself uncomfortable. Lord Hayashi was oblivious to this, of course, and stepped forward to grasp his wife by the arms and kiss her on the cheek. Prince Kyousuke too, seemed inured to his mother's disapproval, as if it was something that happened frequently but was never a real problem.

Sayaka glanced over at Fumiyo. The princess's expression had closed off.

"Let me take a look at you, Kyousuke," said Lady Hayashi. Kyousuke gave a put-upon sigh. "Don't sigh at your mother that way, child."

"Yes mother," said Kyousuke, nodding before stepping forward for Lady Hayashi to inspect him.

"Hmm, not to my taste," said Lady Hayashi, looking her son over. "At least it is coordinated. Did you have help?"

"No, mother, except for suggestions from my armorer."

"Ah, I see," said Lady Hayashi. She smoothed a wrinkle in Kyousuke's jinbaori. "You should keep him, they do good work and have saved you from disaster."

Kyousuke smiled. "I will, mother. Thank you."

Lady Hayashi smiled at him and couldn't resist patting him on the cheek. "Ah, my son is growing up. You were the size of your little brother not long ago, but now here you are. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you mother!"

"And how is little Kensuke today?" asked Lord Hayashi, peering down at the swaddled newborn in Lady Hayashi's hands. "Aww, he's asleep."

"Thankfully," said Lady Hayashi wryly. "It has been a long week."

"Hah! He is eating well?"

"Yes, far too well," said Lady Hayashi with a pained sigh. "The greedy boy is just like his father."

"Well better that than a bad appetite," said Lord Hayashi.

"Yes, true. Now who are these?"

Sayaka and Hinata dipped into bows as Lady Hayashi turned to them.

"Ah, yes, these are Lady Uchiha and Lady Hyuuga," said Lord Hayashi. "They are ninja from Konoha's most prestigious clans, here to provide some additional strength for Fumiyo."

Lady Hayashi raised an eyebrow at the two genin. "I see. And how old are they?"

"Twelve, the same as Fumiyo," said Lord Hayashi. "Two of the greatest talents Konoha has to offer."

Lady Hayashi smiled and nodded. "Of course. Is Fumiyo ready then?"

"I am here, mother," said Fumiyo, stepping forward and bowing.

"Ah, yes," said Lady Hayashi, flicking her gaze across Fumiyo and frowning slightly. "Adequate. Your maids are to be commended."

"Thank you, mother."

"You have your dagger?"

"Yes, Mother," said Fumiyo. She pulled the blade out of her obi, in its sheath, to show it to Lady Hayashi.

"Hm. Also adequate."

"Thank you, mother."

Sayaka and Hinata glanced at each other but didn't say anything.

"Well, we should get going," said Lord Hayashi jovially. "Fumiyo, please lead the way."

Fumiyo nodded, and took a deep breath. "Yes, Father."

She took a moment to gather herself, looking down at the ground, before looking up at Sayaka and Hinata. Wordlessly, the two genin moved to flank Fumiyo as she turned and slid the dagger back into her obi. She flicked the sleeves of her kimono, then began to walk.

The three of them formed a triangle, with Fumiyo leading the way while Sayaka and Hinata took position two paces behind her. Lord and Lady Hayashi followed behind, and Kyousuke was last. The walk to the entry hall was lined with servants, appearing to pay their respects to their mistress and to wish her well. They bowed as Fumiyo passed by, kneeling in silence until they reached the main doors of the mansion.

The footmen, ashigaru with long spears and wearing armor, flung open the doors with a shout:

"Her ladyship, Princess Hayashi Fumiyo!"

The gathered samurai roared as Fumiyo descended, stepping out into the morning sun. Sayaka saw Kakashi to their right, Naruto to their left, both watchful but cheering politely with the samurai. To their front was the honor guard, led by Lord Hayashi's highest-ranked retainers, raising their spears and banging them against the ground.

"Princess Fumiyo!" called out the white haired old samurai from Sayaka's spar last week. "We have heard that another has asked for your hand in marriage! Is this true?"

"It is!" Fumiyo called back, coming to a halt in front of him. "What of it, samurai?"

The old samurai played his role well, and feigned horror. "What man dares to take our master's fair daughter away? Name him, and we will strike him down!"

"Nay, do not," said Fumiyo, raising her hand. "He is a good man, honorable and kind! He does not deserve your blade!"

"Then we will see for ourselves, if you will allow us!" the old samurai replied. He knelt to one knee, and the honor guard followed. "Princess Fumiyo! You are precious to us, and we love you as we love our own daughters! Please allow us to fulfill our duty and escort you to meet this young man who has asked for your hand!"

"Rise, honored samurai," said Fumiyo, stepping forward and extending her hands to the old samurai. He took her hand and stood again. "Thank you for your service, samurai. You may escort me as your duty demands."

"Thank you, my lady," said the old samurai, pressing his fist to his chestplate and bowing. Then he turned and raised his spear. "Honor guard! Attention!"

The gathered samurai stood to, standing rigidly with a shout.

"Right about face!"

The samurai turned on the spot, facing down the path to the parade ground at the gates of the castle.

"Forward!"

The samurai shouted and began to march, their steps ringing out against the ground like thunder. The old samurai marched at the rear of the column, just ahead of Fumiyo with a smile on his face.

"Ah, I'm glad that I was able to do this, my lady," he said quietly.

"What do you mean, Sir Segawa?" asked Fumiyo.

"I am growing old, miss," said Segawa, smile turning sad. "I have served your father for many years, but I will die sooner rather than later. To have the chance to provide this service before I passed is a great privilege."

Fumiyo tried to smile back. "I'm sorry, Sir Segawa. It is only a betrothal celebration, and not a wedding. If only…"

"Ah, it is good enough," said Segawa. "For this humble country samurai to have a chance to serve a lord like Lord Hayashi, to escort his daughter for her betrothal, these are privileges I dared not wish for when I was young."

Fumiyo looked down at the ground, falling silent. Her expression was hidden from Segawa, but Sayaka saw Fumiyo's brow furrow and lips press together.

Then they arrived at the parade ground. The honor guard reached it just before eight, and Sayaka's limited chakra sense could tell there were several people already gathered outside of the gates to the castle. Several ashigaru lined a rope barrier, hung with auspicious ofuda, that channeled visitors from the gates to the end of the parade ground, where several seats had been set atop a tiered platform. The highest placed seat was a cushioned bench, lavishly decorated and just wide enough for two people to sit together. To its left and right were smaller but no less grand wooden chairs, skillfully lacquered and cushioned with pillows of goose down and crimson silk.

The honor guard arrayed itself in front of the platform in a defensive formation, and Sir Segawa stepped to the side to allow Lord Hayashi to give his daughter a supporting hand. Fumiyo looked up at Lord Hayashi and mustered a smile. It was a smile that did not really make it to her eyes, one that knew she was already long past turning back, and was resolved to make the best of it. Lord Hayashi looked back and smiled broadly at her, encouraging.

Fumiyo took her father's hand and used it to take the first step to the top of the platform. She walked up carefully, then turned and arranged herself neatly on the bench. Sayaka and Hinata took their place at the left of the steps, hands tucked inside their sleeves as was proper. Lord Hayashi sat in the chair to the right of Fumiyo, and Lady Hayashi sat to the left. Then finally, Kyousuke came to the right of the steps leading to his sister, becoming the last prop for the setting of this piece of theater.

"Konoha genin, huh," Kyousuke said quietly, eyeing the two girls to his left. "I hope you're strong."

"We will protect the princess," Hinata replied.

Kyousuke made a skeptical noise. "It will not be necessary."

Sayaka bristled but held her tongue. She was certain she could defeat him, but let him have his ego. It was of no consequence to her.

"Who is this young man who has asked for my daughter's hand in marriage?" asked Lord Hayashi loudly.

"He stands before our gates, my lord!" called an ashigaru from the gatehouse. "Shall I let him in to meet you?"

"Yes!" Lord Hayashi called back. "Let us see this young man who claims to be worthy of my daughter!"

Sayaka did not miss the quiet sniff Lady Hayashi made at that pronouncement.

"Open the gates!" the ashigaru shouted, and his call was echoed through the gatehouse. The gates of the castle creaked as they swung open, revealing a boy the same age as Fumiyo, backed by his own honor guard and servants bearing a palanquin stacked with gifts. The boy was dressed in a kimono, as was proper, with swords at his waist, as was also proper. The top half of the kimono was deep blue, embroidered with silver thread that shimmered underneath a haori colored like a cloudless noon sky, while the hakama trousers were white like the caps of waves breaking against the shore.

"Lord Hayashi!" the boy shouted. "I am Prince Eiichi, of the Aoyagi Clan! I come asking for your permission to marry your daughter!"

* * *

Kiba woke with a start just as he fell out of his chair. He landed heavily on the ground.

"…are you okay, Kiba?" asked Sakura, peering at him over the edge of her hospital bed.

Kiba groaned. He must be more tired than he thought to fall asleep in the morning. He looked up at the clock from where he lay prone. It was… just past ten o'clock. Ugh.

"Alright, that's good," said Sakura, going back to her book.

"Thanks Sakura, really feeling the love," said Kiba as Akamaru padded over to lick his nose. "At least Akamaru cares."

"I care," said Sakura, looking up at him over the top of her book, "I just don't care when you're being melodramatic."

Kiba sniffed and shifted upright, picking Akamaru up to give the puppy a scratch behind his ears. "I'm not melodramatic."

"You are when you're lying on the ground pretending a fall out of a chair hurt you," said Sakura, rolling her eyes and going back to her book. "Seriously, I've watched you get kicked way harder."

Kiba frowned at her. That kick had been aimed at Sakura's head, and Kiba had intercepted it while she had been weaving a genjutsu. It had been enough to knock the air out of Kiba but had given Sakura enough time to disorient their enemy and let them escape. Kurenai-sensei had kept their pursuers busy while they'd retreated.

Sakura looked up again at the silence. "…Sorry."

"It's fine," said Kiba, scratching behind Akamaru's ears again. He pulled the puppy against his chest and ran a finger along the scar that sliced across Akamaru's front where a kunai had cut a deep furrow in the dog's skin. It had just been shallow enough not to need stitches.

"…this mission went really badly," said Sakura. "Even though Hokage-sama praised us…"

"We were pretty lucky," said Kiba. "Two genjutsu specialists, an Inuzuka, and an Aburame are a pretty good match-up against an assassination team."

"We shouldn't have made it out," said Sakura, looking down at her book without seeing the words. "If it weren't for sensei—"

"You helped too," said Kiba.

Sakura looked up and smiled grimly. "A little."

Kiba snorted. "Sensei relied on you to keep us going the right way when she had to lead the enemy off. If it was just me'n Shino, we'd have gotten caught. You're better at tactics and stuff than us."

"Shino's pretty good."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Better than me then. I'm just a cannon—point and shoot. I need someone to point me, you know?"

Sakura shook her head. "You're pretty good too. If I had more— if I could fight better—"

"Oi, you're plenty good," said Kiba sharply. "Just, like, not compared to fucking A-class jounin wanted across all five nations."

Sakura paused, then chuckled. "When you put it that way…"

"C'mon, Sakura, you gotta focus on the future, you know?" said Kiba. "We got out, so now we can train and do better next time, right?"

"Yeah," said Sakura. She sighed. "It just… even though we made it, it still feels like a failure."

"It was," said Shino. He pushed himself upright. "But that is not the point."

"Did we wake you?" asked Sakura. "Sorry, we should—"

"Waking me is immaterial," said Shino. He coughed and poured himself a cup of tea from the thermos on the bedside table. "Why? Because I wish to be part of our post-mortem analysis of the mission."

Sakura and Kiba were quiet for a moment. That _was _sort of what they were doing, wasn't it?

"What were you saying earlier?" asked Kiba, heaving himself to his feet and letting Akamaru onto the ground. He walked around the end of Sakura's bed and sat on the other side, facing Shino, and leaned back to brace himself against his hands.

"Ah, I was saying we should consider this mission a failure," said Shino. He took a sip of tea. "Why? Because the original objectives were not met. However, I would argue that we should change the way we think about failure."

"How do you mean?" asked Sakura. She put her book away and crossed her legs under the covers.

"Failure will occur," said Shino simply. "It is impossible to always succeed. Especially in situations where our client turns out to be targeted by A-class missing ninja. Succeeding in those contexts would be absurd. We should instead say that failure is an acceptable outcome, so long as we did everything in our power to prevent it."

Kiba and Sakura looked at each other to think about that.

"Makes sense to me," said Kiba. He stretched and cracked a joint in his back with a grunt. "It's like back at the Academy—can't ace all them tests."

"Says you," said Sakura, whacking him gently with her book. "You didn't graduate top kunoichi."

"Well, you probably oughta get used to it," said Kiba blandly. "Tests are fair odds, you know? Combat's all about screwing over your opponent as hard as possible, and if we're the ones getting screwed then that's how it goes."

"I guess," said Sakura. She sighed and picked up her book again, opening it and letting the pages flick past under her thumb before it slapped itself shut. "This sucks."

"Hey, we're getting paid like it's an A-class, so there's that," said Kiba. He reached out and patted her on the knee. "Cheer up, we'll go shopping later. You can get a new dress or something."

Sakura snorted. "Who says I want to go shopping?"

"You're a girl. Girls like shopping, right?"

Sakura couldn't help but smile. It was true, a nice shopping trip would make her feel better. "Thanks, Kiba. You get to carry my clothes then."

"Wait no, I've made a mistake, I take it back!"

Sakura laughed and threw a pillow at him. Kiba blocked it, laughing as well, and the pillow bounced off to be caught by Kurenai-sensei.

"You're all feeling better then?" she asked after her genin had greeted her with cheer.

"Yes sensei," said Sakura. "It was just some chakra exhaustion—they say I'm clear to leave tomorrow."

"That's good," said Kurenai. "Shino?"

"The same, sensei," said Shino. He took another sip of tea. "Though this cough will trouble me for a while longer."

"Well, we're on standby for the foreseeable future, so no big deal," said Kurenai. "The Hokage wants us to take some time before we take another C-rank."

"Understood, sensei," said Shino with a nod. "I will endeavor to get better soon."

"Kiba, can I get you to help me with something?" asked Kurenai. "Intelligence wants to speak with us a little, and I said I'd get you to come down."

"Sure sensei," said Kiba. He hopped down from Sakura's bed. "See you guys later."

* * *

Sayaka tapped Naruto, or one of his clones, on the shoulder as she came back from her quick lunch behind the curtain surrounding the perimeter of the parade ground in Hayashi Castle. It turned out that there were noodles for the guards. It was cold soba with a side of pickles and not ramen, but it _was _noodles and for that Naruto had been grateful. He'd taken Sayaka's place standing watch while she had ducked out to eat lunch, but now she was back.

"Anything on my face?" she asked.

Naruto looked her over and shook his head. "You're good, Sayaka. Wait wait, your teeth."

Sayaka grimaced at him.

"Nah you're good—wait is that lipstick?"

"Dammit Naruto."

"Sorry sorry, you're fine," said Naruto after peering at her for a second longer. "Yeah, see you out there Sayaka."

Sayaka rolled her eyes and stepped back out into the sunlight to stand next to the Hayashi family table. They were eating lunch now, under a bright late-morning sun on tables that had been brought out by the Hayashi clan's servants. Once the meal was finished, and after a few more ceremonial things, the procession would begin.

The morning had been what Sayaka had expected. After some ritualistic performances from Prince Eiichi and Lord Hayashi, the prince had been allowed into the castle with his entourage and granted permission to ascend the steps to Fumiyo. The gathered witnesses of the betrothal, which was to say those who had been invited to the party, had applauded as he took her hand, and that had been that. Prince Eiichi and Princess Fumiyo were officially betrothed.

Several musical performances and a small play had followed. A stage had been set up at the end of the parade ground and tables arranged around it to serve refreshments and drinks to the gathered samurai and nobility of the city. Sayaka didn't recognize anyone, of course, but their titles and the quality of their clothing stated their rank better than any ID card could. The higher ranked members sat closer to Lord Hayashi's table, while the lower ranked were farther away. Only the very honored, like the Aoyagi clan head, were seated with Lord Hayashi himself in the grandest table in the center of it all at the place of honor.

"Ah, I suppose I should apologize," Prince Eiichi was saying to Fumiyo where they were sitting at the center of the table. Lord Hayashi had become embroiled in some discussion with Lord Aoyagi, and Lady Hayashi had begged off to tend to baby Kensuke. Prince Kyousuke was distracted talking with someone about swords, leaving the two betrothed to meet for the first time and get to know each other. "I was told that I should write poetry, but of course I'm not very good at it. It was probably a painful experience for you."

"It is fine," said Fumiyo, smiling slightly as she picked up her teacup. "What would you have sent instead?"

"Ah, I'm not sure," said Eiichi. He seemed to restrain a put-upon sigh. "We Aoyagi— well, what I mean is, I am not well trained in the arts. I can sing a little, but you cannot send a song…"

Fumiyo raised an intrigued eyebrow. "You can sing?"

"Yes, though much of my repertoire is, er, intended for the sea," said Eiichi. He looked away, flushing slightly. "It is customary for Aoyagi boys to spend time on a ship, and you pick up certain kinds of songs. If you understand my meaning."

Fumiyo blinked at him, put two and two together, and turned away to sip her tea to hide her scandalized expression.

"That's quite shocking," she said eventually.

Prince Eiichi made a helpless gesture. "It is what it is, I suppose."

"It is no matter," said Fumiyo, flicking a sleeve and sighing. She paused to drink another sip of tea. "Maybe you can teach me some of your… oceangoing songs."

Prince Eiichi blinked at her. "Why?"

Fumiyo sighed again and looked down at her teacup. "…it would be better, if we are to be married, that we shared some common interests."

"Sea shanties don't sound like your interest, Fumiyo-san."

"Fumiyo-_chan_," corrected Fumiyo, giving him a raised eyebrow. "And who are you to say what my interests are?"

"You're a highborn princess, I'm the son of a— well," said Prince Eiichi, coughing politely. "It's quite unlikely that we have the same interests."

"Is that so."

Prince Eiichi smiled wryly at her. "Well, I'll certainly be shocked if you like fishing. Or drinking vast amounts of sake."

"I've certainly never done any such thing," said Fumiyo, turning away to drink her tea. "It would never be permitted for a lady to participate in those activities."

"Well then," said Eiichi, sipping his own tea. "That's that isn't it?"

Sayaka glanced at Fumiyo, silently egging her on. The princess had two options: either embrace the situation or withdraw entirely. Only the first gave her any hope. If she didn't seize it—

"If you would be willing," said Fumiyo, before setting her tea down and looking down at its rippling surface. She visibly gathered herself. "If you would be willing, I would be interested in going fishing with you."

Eiichi paused, cup halfway to his lips. "Really?"

"Yes," said Fumiyo. She took a breath, held it, then blew it out again. "I will be honest with you, Eiichi-kun, I do not wish to be married. But I think you do not wish it either."

Eiichi looked away and drank his tea. "Well, I think I wish it a little more than you. You're very pretty, you know. I'd be lucky to have a wife as pretty as you."

Fumiyo went scarlet. She had never been called 'very pretty' by anyone other than her father, which was obviously to be expected and meant very little. For someone her age to say such things was a novel experience. But this was not the time to be flustered.

"Well. Thank you."

"But sure, you're not wrong," said Eiichi. He set his teacup down. "I am rather unenthused. I had hoped to spend more time at sea before I settled down."

"Do you like being at sea?"

"Of course," said Eiichi. His expression turned wistful. "Even if it's just in a little sailing dinghy. There's nothing like it—the wind and the spray. It's wonderful."

Fumiyo looked down at Eiichi's hand where it rested on the table. Tentatively, she put her hand on top of his. It was heavily calloused and weathered from the cold and the wet.

"Maybe we could go sailing instead of fishing," Fumiyo said quietly. "I would like to see more of the things that you enjoy."

"Ah, well, I wouldn't want to subject you to it," said Eiichi dismissively. But he didn't pull his hand away. "You'd hate it, I'd expect."

"Don't be so sure," said Fumiyo. "I've been scolded much for being too boyish in my interests. Maybe this will be another one of those things that my tutors will be scandalized by."

Eiichi chuckled and put his tea down. "Boyish huh. You don't seem too boyish to me."

Fumiyo felt her cheeks go red again, but smiled. "They say you wouldn't know it by my hands."

Eiichi turned Fumiyo's hand over to run his thumb across her callouses. "Well, these are pitiful by Aoyagi standards. If I had callouses like this, my father would say that he'd made a mistake and should have put together a dowry for me."

Fumiyo stifled a laugh. "That's terrible."

"Eh, well, you get used to it."

The couple—well, not quite, but they were a little more of a couple now—were quiet for a long moment in the bustle of the party around them. Eiichi kept running his thumb across Fumiyo's palm. It had the most peculiar effect on her.

Fumiyo cleared her throat, then pulled her hand away. She was flushed redder than Hinata did around Naruto, and that was saying something. "Right. So then, shall we try to make this work?" Fumiyo asked. She looked up at Eiichi and raised her teacup to him.

Eiichi looked at her for a moment, expression inscrutable, then picked up his own teacup. "Yes. To friendship, then, and getting closer."

"To friendship," said Fumiyo. She clinked her teacup against his with a small smile. "Let's get closer, ne Eiichi-kun?"

* * *

"_What?!"_

"I've told you because I know how you feel about Uchiha Sayaka," said Kurenai, holding tightly onto Kiba's shoulder, "but this _does not mean_ you go running after her."

"Wha— but— _today_—!" Kiba choked out, eyes wild. "Zabuza!"

"The Hokage already sent out ANBU, they're faster than you and they won't get there until this evening," said Kurenai firmly. "There's nothing you can do, Kiba."

Kiba made a noise like a snarling wolf and lunged for the trees. Kurenai yanked him back firmly.

"Dammit, sensei, what the _fuck_ am I supposed to do?!" Kiba shouted, gesturing wildly. "I can't— you can't expect me to just _sit here and wait_."

"That is precisely what I expect of you," said Kurenai seriously. "You will wait for the all clear from the ANBU team and you will file a leave request properly, if you really wish to see Sayaka and make sure she is safe."

Kiba snarled and spat and finally, with a shout of fury, hurled a kunai into a nearby tree where it sunk to its hilt. He sat down with a thump and ran his fingers through his hair, then popped back up to pace.

"We were scheduling our second date, you know," he said, looking down at the ground as he walked back and forth. "While we were running, I kept thinking, Sayaka had to be pissed because I was so late. I was going to check for a letter from her, but Sakura n' Shino were in the hospital, and I wanted to make sure they were okay, but now you tell me _this shit_ and—"

Kiba howled something incomprehensible again and reached out fruitlessly, trying to strangle something intangible.

"Fuck, we're not even really dating," Kiba said furiously and he tangled his fingers into his hair. "I just— everyone had a crush on her, you know? Me too. But _nobody_ has a chance with Uchiha-hime, so I didn't bother, but then we were watching the fireworks and she was like 'hey, so, maybe we can have a second date?', and I thought wow, I cannot believe Uchiha Sayaka gives a shit about me. I really— I'm going to try to make this work, you know? And now she's got a fucking _A-rank missing nin after her_."

"Okay, so first, Sayaka is a lucky girl if you two work out," said Kurenai, reaching out to grab Kiba by the shoulders again with a wry smile. Her smile turned into a frown. "But second, get it together Kiba. If you really are going to try and make this work, Sayaka needs you to be in it with your head on straight."

Kiba took a breath, held it, then let it out.

"Right, sensei."

"You're a genin, which means you're beholden to the Hokage and his orders," Kurenai said. "You _cannot_ do anything stupid. You could get others hurt."

Kiba closed his eyes and took another deep breath. Kurenai-sensei was right. He had to— he had to calm down. He couldn't do something crazy, especially if it ended up pulling away resources that might help Sayaka.

"Yes sensei," he said, opening his eyes again. "I— are you in the loop? I don't know who I'd ask for updates…"

"I'm not, but I do know who to ask," said Kurenai. "Try to go about your day normally. Don't forget information security. You cannot spread this."

Kiba nodded. "Right, yeah, it'd be a shitshow. I got it. I'll make sure to keep a lid on it, sensei. You can count on me."

Kurenai smiled at him. "I always know I can."

"What do we do now?"

Kurenai sighed. Momochi Zabuza, an unnamed hunter nin, the Demon Brothers, and who knew what other ninja were converging on Senfuku, for reasons unknown, but surely nefarious. Kurenai had a few guesses, based on the rumors she'd heard around the tower, and they all suggested terrible things. There was some hope, but…

"Do you like yakidango?" Kurenai asked. Kiba gave her a nonplussed expression. "Times like these, I like sweets, and I got a new electric griddle the other day. What do you say about getting some riceballs and grilling up some yakidango? "

Kiba felt like he could cry at the absurdity of it all. What the hell were they doing? "Those'll go straight to our hips, sensei."

Kurenai grinned wryly. "We'll do more laps tomorrow to make up for it."

Kiba looked down. There really was nothing they could do, was there?

Fucking hell.

Kiba swallowed thickly, then put on a wobbly smile before looking back up at his sensei.

"Alright. Let's make some dango."

* * *

The parade route that Naruto had picked out was riddled with canals.

It was unavoidable in Senfuku. The city had been built in a marsh, after all, and while its position gave it a commanding presence over the eastern coast of Fire Country, the efforts taken to reclaim the land from the sea were incapable of ever truly succeeding. True, there were some buildings which stood upon solid ground, but these belonged to the wealthy or the government, which was to say that they belonged only to the wealthy.

Sayaka kept a weather eye out as the palanquin made its way through Senfuku's winding streets. Some of the paths had been made when the city had been clusters of houses amongst stands of stagnant marsh water, back when it had been first founded. Others had been the result of newer, only moderately successful initiatives to improve the flow of traffic through the city. The resulting tangled bird's nest made the back of Sayaka's next prickle in anxiety as it turned sharply this way and that, with tall buildings built up high around the streets to stay atop what little dry land could be found or made.

The canals were the worst though. They seemed to have a constant presence, even though Sayaka knew that the route had as few of them as Naruto could manage. Sayaka wouldn't normally give them a second thought, but all these rumors about Mist ninja had taken hold in her mind, and she kept seeing shadows in the water. Twice, it had turned out to be particularly large carp. Once, a cart that someone had lost over the edge in a freak accident. And every other time, nothing. Just her imagination and nerves.

"All clear so far," Hinata murmured quietly, transmitting across the team's radios as the procession reached the first crowds. Sayaka, Hinata, Eiichi, and Fumiyo were all riding in the same palanquin, carried by bearers who seemed quite eager to serve. Or perhaps they were just being paid a lot of money. "N-nothing unusual within my divination."

"There's a lot of people," Naruto commented. Sayaka spotted a flash of blonde hair across the rooftops. "Like a _lot_ of people. Screw the rooftops, what if someone has a crossbow in the crowd?"

"You better be fast then," Kakashi quipped. Sayaka had no idea where he was.

"I'll be there," Sayaka said before Naruto could.

"I'll beat you to it this time!"

"Uh huh, you wish, slowpoke."

Naruto made an outraged noise and the rest of the team chuckled, then fell silent. There really were a lot of people out to see the parade.

"Chakra levels, Hinata?" Kakashi asked, breaking the silence.

"Of no concern."

"Good. Keep us posted—we don't want you dropping too low in case we're attacked."

"Yes, sensei."

They fell silent again. Hinata and Sayaka knelt at the sides of the palanquin, partly blocking the sightlines required to get a clean shot on either Fumiyo or Eiichi. The two of them were waving to the crowds, who seemed very supportive of the match. There was much cheering and the crowds were huge. Heavily armed samurai flanked the procession and the ashigaru kept the crowds back, but even so it was a tremendously challenging environment to maintain security.

At least, it would have been without the byakugan. Hinata kept it on as the procession progressed through the city, scanning actively for any threats. Nothing showed up, at least within Hinata's range, and while it was quite a wide range, it wasn't infinite. Naruto and Kakashi patrolled at its limits, keeping watch.

"We're at the halfway point," Kakashi said. The procession was crossing a bridge now, the buildings to the left and right of the street high but too steep for a good shot without being terribly exposed. Too obvious for a sniper. Sayaka's eyes scanned the water as the palanquin turned, the steps of the bearers and the guards thunking against wood. The water was clear, here, and she could see the weeds at the bottom of the canal. Her nerves sang with tension. The sun glinted on the water, and as they crossed water turned opaque, turning reflective and showing Sayaka her face in the water.

The water boiled.

"Enemies right!"

Hinata's eyes flew open as she shouted, standing hands outstretched in front of Eiichi and Fumiyo. Sayaka was already moving, kunai flashing from her sleeves as two ninja in the characteristic respirator masks of the Hidden Mist blasted out of the water underneath the bridge, clawed gauntlets outstretched. They vanished as Naruto and his clones plunged through them, then—

—Sayaka whirled, deflecting a fistful of senbon aimed for her neck and thrusting a kunai at the neck of a masked ninja, the insignia of Hidden Mist etched on the front of the porcelain that covered their face. Sayaka grasped the ninja's wrist and—

—saw with terrible clarity, from the corner of her eye, a giant blade, easily longer and wider than she was, arcing through the air, wielded by a man with bandages wrapped around the bottom of his face, the edge aligned to cut through her and Fumiyo and Eiichi and Hinata and the masked ninja had deflected her kunai andgrabbed her to keep Sayaka from reacting and—

Steel clanged against steel and Kakashi was there. He held a single kunai against the massive steel sword that had threatened to kill everyone on the palanquin. There was a moment of stunned, horrified silence.

Then the bridge detonated, and Kakashi had vanished, grabbing Eiichi and Fumiyo and spiriting them away while the ninja all disappeared and palanquin bearers and samurai fell screaming, bloodied stumps remaining where their limbs had been.

"Regroup!"

Sayaka pulled herself up, ears ringing, and jumped for the roof. Naruto had created a raft of clones and was busy creating a dragnet. Hinata was already next to him, peering intently with her byakugan.

"Anything?" Sayaka asked as she landed.

"No," said Hinata. "I don't see the enemy, or sensei."

"Sensei grabbed Fumiyo and Eiichi," said Naruto. "He's probably headed back to the castle."

"Sensible," growled a voice in their midst.

Sayaka whirled as the swordsman's blade neatly bisected Naruto and nearly clipped Hinata, whistling through the pink edges of her sleeves. There was just enough time for Sayaka to leap up and over the weapon as it cut through where she had been standing.

"Not bad," the swordsman muttered, "but not good enough!"

The sword came back again and any worry that Sayaka had for Naruto vanished as she struggled to survive. It was a massive piece of metal, easily two meters long and wielded more like a naginata than a katana. The wide sweeping cuts left Sayaka with little to do but retreat, unable to close where she could use her kunai but never gaining enough range for her shuriken and wire to do anything useful.

Then a Naruto clone appeared like a clown popping out of a prank box and bodily threw itself into the swordsman. The clone was cut down, but another was right behind it and latched itself onto the swordsman's face.

"Sayaka!" the clone shouted.

Sayaka reacted, whipping out shuriken and wire and wrapping the swordsman in a cocoon. She breathed in, then out, and the wire ignited, fire racing down its length to incinerate—

—a log.

Sayaka dived to the side as the sword crashed into where she'd been standing and shattered the roof. It was another desperate retreat, dodging blows and tumbling from roof to roof as she ran as fast as she could to outpace the older, stronger, and faster shinobi. In fact, Sayaka was pretty sure she was being herded. If she wasn't careful she'd be—

—caught. A bubble of water snapped around Sayaka, snaring a leg as she leaped.

The world slowed in the way it always did in the fractions of a second before it ended. Replacement was the only thing Sayaka had to escape, and she had to do it before the water caught her fully. She moved her hands through the symbols faster than she'd ever done them in her life, pooling and coiling her chakra for the jump even as the water rushed up her leg, soaking up her chakra like a sponge. She almost had it, pull and—

—fizzle, the water wrapping around her pulling at the technique and tearing it apart.

_No!_

The bubble turned into a whip with Sayaka at the head. It slammed her into a wall, then the boardwalk.

The world went dark.

The world was light again.

Through the water over her eyes, Sayaka saw a blurry figure raise a sword. Was this it then? Was this how she was going to die?

The sword glinted in the sunlight as it reached its apex. In the moment, Sayaka could only think how pretty it was. It was a well made sword. Maybe she should get a sword? It would be a very Uchiha thing to do.

Wait, she was about to die.

Well, that was too bad. She would have liked to have had a sword.

The sword came down.

Steel flashed again and the swordsman made a noise of frustration as he was pelted with kunai and Narutos. The water loosed its grip on Sayaka with a splash. She rolled away and breathed, gasping, before hands grabbed her and lifted her to the rooftops. Kunai sprang into her grip and Sayaka twisted, bringing the point of her weapon to bear on—

—Hinata, who was flinching backwards.

"It's me," she said as a set of clones landed around them, kunai raised. The team had fallen back slightly, out of immediate range of the swordsman. Two of the clones took up sentry positions at the eaves of the rooftop, while the others grouped protectively around their teammates. "Stay still, Sayaka-chan. You have a concussion."

"I do?"

Hinata nodded. "I c-can see the brain swelling."

Sayaka lay back, blinking. Something trickled down her face from her nose and into the collar of her furisode top. It was probably blood, and she hoped it wouldn't stain too badly. "I feel fine."

"That's typical," said Hinata as she scanned the rest of Sayaka's body. Nothing was broken or sprained, but there would be significant bruising where the skin hadn't split from impact. Sayaka was a mess, to be sure, but the concussion was the only major injury.

"Can she fight?" asked one of the clones.

"She shouldn't," said Hinata, "but…"

The clone nodded. "I think the Claw Brothers and Mr. Mask are on their way to the castle. The big man was supposed to kill us first then join back up. We've screwed up their plan, but we have to keep Swordy here distracted until sensei shows up."

"Let's get moving," said Sayaka. She blinked quickly as the pain of her injuries began to penetrate through the endorphin rush. "Mission first."

The clone and Hinata looked at each other, then nodded. They both reached out and pulled Sayaka to her feet, where she took a breath and tested her balance. It seemed fine.

"Here," said Hinata, and she handed Sayaka a tablet. "Chew this before we go."

Sayaka nodded and popped the dark tablet into her mouth. It was intensely bitter, cut only slightly by sugar, mint, and lemon peel. But it was powerful, making the pain of the cuts and bruises fade, and would hopefully stave off the headache that could come with the concussion.

"Plan?" Sayaka asked around the dregs of the tablet.

"More clones?" said the Naruto clone, shrugging. "Look man, we're more useful than you'd think, but even I'm going to run out of chakra."

"We have to disable him somehow," said Hinata. "If I can damage his legs…"

"Then I'll be the distraction. Naruto you dogpile him, and try to use replacement with Hinata to take him out at the knees," said Sayaka. She wiped at her nose and hoped it wouldn't be too much of a hindrance to her breathing.

"Roger that, any—" began the clone, before a massive gush of water swept out from the canals, carrying clones with it and slamming them into the road below.

"Right, that's not good," said the clone. He pulled a kunai from its holster. "Let's go."

The team moved, running out across the rooftop in a loose arc. More clones appeared, pelting the swordsman with kunai from every direction, prompting him to vanish and reappear, slinging water from his sword in a broad arc that cut down clones like a scythe in the harvest. He growled something as he looked up and saw Sayaka, before he vanished again.

Sayaka dived to the side, her hair clipped by the blade of the sword, and coiled into a handspring as she landed. She powered out, launching herself high over the swordsman as he brought his sword down again to shatter the rooftop, before turning to sweep at—

—her shuriken, which mostly pinged off into the distance. But two tangled their wires around the blade, and the swordsman braced, pulling the wires taught as Sayaka arced overhead. It was just like with Daisuke, but this time Sayaka breathed fire.

The swordsman shouted as fire raced down the lines and enveloped his blade, then traveled down the handle to scorch his palms. A sword was just steel, after all, and it was as conductive to chakra as Sayaka's wire was.

The sword clanged to the ground as the swordsman instinctively let go.

"Bitch!" he snarled, before flicking through handsigns faster than Sayaka could perceive. She was already in the midst of replacement, and vanished as a column of water crashed through the arc that she was following. But it also doused the hot blade with a hiss, cooling it so that it could be picked up.

Sayaka reappeared to the swordsman's left, across a rooftop and a street, and fired off three more kunai as she charged in. The swordsman stomped on the roof tiles, his chakra tossing his sword up so that he caught it to block the thrown knives. The weapons dinged off the flat of the blade.

Naruto's clones reappeared, leaping at the swordsman with their own weapons drawn, and were cut down, but the constant pressure gave Sayaka an opening to send a shuriken whizzing past the swordsman's face. The wire trailing behind it made it obvious what Sayaka was intending, and the replacement that came was anticipated. Sayaka twisted around as the sword came down on her again, dodging the blows as Hinata circled in from the streets below.

It happened very quickly. Sayaka felt her foot skid on a loose tile, and the swordsman snarled in triumph as she overbalanced. The blade came down in a vicious arc and cut through Sayaka neatly, but she was replaced with a Naruto clone. The clone dispersed as a compatriot dived in, aiming a kick at the swordsman's head, while another went for his knees. The first was snatched from the air and sent crashing to the ground. The second replaced itself with Hinata as the swordsman kicked it in the chest. She cried out in pain, but her hands moved swiftly and severed the chakra flow past the swordsman's knee.

Hinata was tossed away, landing heavily on the roof and wheezing while the swordsman's leg collapsed underneath him.

"A fucking Hyuuga," he muttered as he struggled to his feet, only to collapse again. "If only it was the war. I'd take your fucking head back for the bounty."

Hinata pushed herself upright and took a steadying breath. "You will do no such thing. Surrender."

The swordsman chuckled as Naruto and Sayaka landed around him, bracketing their target to lend Hinata their support. "Surrender? I'll pass, little girl."

Sayaka unspooled more shuriken from her sleeves. "You're surrounded, and you can't move. This isn't a fight you can win anymore."

The swordsman snorted. "Piss off, you're just some brats from Leaf. I'm Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist. I've killed more kids like you than I can remember and I've done it longer than you've been alive."

Naruto scowled at him. "Yeah? Well I guess this is when we break that streak!"

He charged in, yelling, at their target, who raised his sword with a grimace. The first blow was parried, but the lack of mobility hampered Zabuza. Hinata circled to cut off the escape routes as Sayaka followed Naruto, slipping to the right to bracket Zabuza in. It wasn't necessary though, as Naruto made a clone and skipped left, allowing Zabuza's blade to crash into the tiles and be trapped by the clone's tackle. The original jumped forward and stabbed, tilting his blade up underneath Zabuza's sternum.

Sayaka felt something yank at her.

Naruto's kunai strike would have been textbook if Sayaka hadn't been shorter than Zabuza by a good head. Instead of killing her outright, Naruto's blade skittered off the top of Sayaka's sternum, slipped left, then deflected off of one of her ribs before plunging into her right lung.

Blood spilled out immediately, soaking the front of Sayaka's clothes and covering Naruto's hands.

"S-Sayaka?"

Sayaka coughed, felt the blade cut her more, watched blood splatter on Naruto's face. Zabuza had pulled the same trick that Team Seven had pulled on him. It was a little odd to be on the receiving end of it. Well, the knife in her probably was more important.

Then Naruto dived for the ground, Sayaka in tow, as Zabuza's blade crashed into where they were standing. Clones erupted into existence, shouting and making a mess of things as they and Hinata covered the retreat.

"Oh fuck, Sayaka, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Naruto babbled as he landed on a different rooftop to lay Sayaka down. "I'm sorry Sayaka I didn't mean to oh _fuck_ please be okay—"

Sayaka tried to say something, tried to keep breathing, but the knife in her _hurt_, like fire was screaming into her, but she was an Uchiha and supposed to be a master of fire. She struggled weakly to sit up, but Naruto tried to hold her down, and Sayaka snapped at him.

"I—" oh _fuck that hurt fuck fuck fuck _"—I have a punctured lung, dumbass!"

Naruto made a keening noise and recoiled, a clone popping in to help her up while Naruto waved his hands helplessly. "What do I do?!"

Sayaka grit her teeth and focused on her chakra, coiling it tightly into her, fighting for control. The pain seemed to deaden. "Help me—" _it hurt_ "—help me stop the bleeding. Remember? First aid training?"

Naruto swallowed, then pressed his lips together and nodded. "R-r-right. Okay. Okay. Blood pills first."

Sayaka leaned her head back against the clone and tried to keep breathing as Naruto pulled his waist pouch off and dumped its contents on the roof. It was really remarkable how lifelike the clones were. Though that made sense. It wasn't a normal clone.

"Right, here," said Naruto, and he shoved a pill into her mouth. Sayaka chewed—holy shit it was bitter—then swallowed. "Okay okay okay, next, bleeding, have to stop the bleeding."

"Don't pull it out," the clone reminded. Sayaka glanced up at it, and the clone smiled gamely back at her. It looked more like a horrified grimace, but hey, it was an effort.

"Right," said Naruto, "right right right can't pull it out right. Have to— have to stabilize the weapon, right? Because no external bleeding so—"

There was a tremendous blast of water. Sayaka screamed as the entire roof was blasted away. Zabuza was snarling, hands clenched in a handsign, blasting away Naruto's clones and tossing Hinata aside like a twig in the sea. Sayaka and Naruto went tumbling, then slammed into another roof that Sayaka rolled off of to land with a thud in the street.

Fresh pain tore at her chest, and Sayaka cried out and pressed her hands against the injury as it bubbled out more blood with each breath she sucked through clenched teeth. The motion had torn the kunai out, leaving the wound to gape.

Her mouth felt dry. Was that normal? It wasn't normal was it?

"Sayaka!" Naruto shouted, scrambling down from above. "Sayaka— oh _fuck—"_

He rolled her over and pressed his hands against hers, trying to stop the bleeding. The pain was like a— well, it was like being stabbed. Sayaka almost laughed.

"No no no no no no—"

She was very cold. She really didn't like the cold. She remembered, when she was little, huddling in the kotatsu before New Year's and being very reluctant to help her mother in the kitchen. Her father had scolded her but for once Sayaka had refused. The floorboards were cold! Then Itachi had patted her on the head—

"Stay with me Sayaka, stay with me okay? Sensei's coming, he's going to help—"

Sayaka began to cry. Itachi. She had to kill Itachi. But she was bleeding out here. She had to— she couldn't die here. She needed to avenge her clan. She needed to rebuild it.

"Oh gods please Sayaka don't die I'm sorry _I'm sorry_—"

She didn't want to die. She wasn't ready to die. She had so many things she had to do first. She had to— but she couldn't—

She couldn't—

"_Sayaka!"_

* * *

Kakashi ran. He ran with the speed only one of the Hidden Leaf's most elite jounin could accomplish. He ran with the speed that came from a decade in ANBU, two decades a soldier. He ran with desperation. He had failed so many people, been too late so many times. Just this once, just this once—!

Naruto screamed and Kakashi knew he didn't have any time left. There was a blast of foul evil that he'd only felt once before, that he had hoped he'd never feel ever again, and something red as blood rocketed out of the streets towards Momochi Zabuza.

Fuck.

He'd done the right thing. He'd secured the principals, and he'd taken down Zabuza's team members. They were in a holding cell, waiting to be interrogated. Team Seven had done the right thing, running interference as a holding action. But it had cost them.

Two options. Stop the Ninetails—the Kyuubi—or try to help his student. Which was the right thing?

Kakashi ran and leaped and came to a stop next to the still-warm-body that was supposed to be Uchiha Sayaka. The street was deep red with her blood. Kakashi dropped to his knees and grabbed her wrist—a pulse? Weak, almost unsurvivable, but—

He could smell the blood pill she had swallowed and he felt his heart leap in his chest. If there was enough blood volume then maybe Sayaka's heart hadn't fully failed yet. Thank every god that Tsunade had demanded all genin teams deploy with medical kits back in the war. Thank every god that he'd bothered to scan Rin's hands with Obito's sharingan eye when she was healing.

A kunai flicked out and cut away Sayaka's clothes, giving him access to the wound. Step one, seal the wound. Easily done, the exterior knitting together under the Mystical Palm. Step two was harder: repair the lungs.

The lungs were complex and he needed to do it _right_ or he'd make a cripple out of his student. But at the same time, there were medic nin back in Konoha that could fix it as long as he did well enough. Kakashi grit his teeth and coaxed the organ back together. It was a shit job through and through. He couldn't be sure—

"—Hinata, do you read?" Kakashi asked.

A pause, and for a second Kakashi feared the worst, that he had two students down, but then: "I— I'm here sensei," Hinata said. She did not sound well.

"Are you hurt?"

"I hit my head." Fuck. That was bad. But if she was awake—

"Can you use the Byakugan?"

"Y-yes."

"Turn it on, can you see me?"

There was a moment of silence.

"I- I can, sensei, is Sayaka—?"

"How is her lung?"

"T-t-the bleeding is stopped but her heart isn't—"

"I know," said Kakashi. The wound was closed enough that he wouldn't reopen it now, so Kakashi began chest compressions. He had no idea if it was doing anything.

"It's— it's working!" Hinata called. "Erratic rhythm—!"

Kakashi pulled an injector out of his combat vest and stabbed it into Sayaka's neck. It was a potent cocktail that Tsunade had said was supposed to do something to help restart hearts. It had never worked for Kakashi in the past, but damn if he wasn't going to try. He gave Sayaka another round of chest compressions, got the drugs running into her system, then flicked through three handsigns that he'd never successfully used on any teammate he had ever had.

Please, by every god and deity, let this time be different.

"Forced resuscitation technique."

The electric shock rippled from left to right, and Sayaka's heart jumped in Hinata's vision. For a moment, it beat weakly, then seized as the drugs kicked in.

"It worked!" Hinata called out on the radio. "S-s-sensei, it worked, her heart, it's b-beating correctly again!"

Kakashi wiped his eyes and pulled another blood pill out of his vest, crushed it in his hand and mixed it with a little water. He coaxed it down Sayaka's throat with chakra. That should be enough, combined with the one she'd already swallowed.

Now all he had to worry about was shock and hypothermia killing his student. But it was a step up from her already being dead.

Kakashi lifted Sayaka up and flickered to the rooftops. A city like Senfuku had a hospital. A hospital in Senfuku would have a trauma center. There had to be knife fights in the docks. So then—

—there, there it was. The hospital was where Kakashi remembered it would be.

"Going out of range," said Kakashi into the radio. "…don't die, Hinata."

"I won't, sensei."

Kakashi vanished.

* * *

Naruto took slow breaths as he huddled next to Zabuza's body.

He was covered in blood, the stench penetrating into him with every breath he took. He'd thrown up, a little earlier, but thankfully the contents of his stomach had splattered into the canal. He was sure he'd have thrown up again if he'd been forced to smell puke and blood at the same time.

The body he was sitting next to had been torn asunder, the blade it had wielded launched at speed into a building. It still stood in the wall, the wrappings on the hilt fluttering in the breeze where they'd been cut. Naruto didn't really remember all of the fight, especially the beginning. He'd been so _angry_. But near the end, he remembered the swordsman sending a dragon of water at him, how it'd taken him in the chest and—

Naruto shuddered, and rubbed his arms. It was cold, without his jacket, but it had been ripped apart by the Water Dragon, and he didn't— couldn't— make himself go look for his team.

The dragon had torn him open and thrown him aside, and the swordsman had tried to run as Naruto fell off the roof into the street, parts of his insides falling around him. The pain had shocked him out of his anger, but then the fury came back as his organs grew back in and his bones knitted together and his skin closed up. He remembered thinking that no, that wasn't allowed, that he was going to _kill _Zabuza, and he'd pushed himself up even as his bones grated against each other and he'd made clones that had hunted the swordsman down and grabbed him by the limbs and Naruto had—

He had—

Naruto swallowed and regretted it. His spit tasted like blood too.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked up and despaired. Hinata was standing at the edge of the blood splatter, hands wrapped around her stomach, and staring.

"H-Hinata-chan. I—"

"Did you…?"

Naruto wiped his eyes. It didn't do much, just smear blood over him more. "I— I did."

"Good," Hinata said firmly.

Naruto looked up in surprise.

Hinata wiped at her eyes too, and began to walk towards him. "He almost killed Sayaka."

Naruto shook his head. "It was my fault. I jumped in— I shouldn't have— wait—"

"Sensei got there in time," said Hinata, and Naruto felt his eyes spill over from relief.

"O— oh, oh thank the gods," said Naruto, and the tears were thick enough to start cutting through the blood and gore. "Oh thank the gods, I thought— she stopped breathing and— and—"

"Sensei got there in time," said Hinata, and she dropped to her knees beside Naruto to pull him into a hug. "It's okay."

"S-stop," Naruto sniffled, pushing back at Hinata. "I'm covered— you'll get your clothes all bloody—"

"It's okay," said Hinata, and she pulled him in tighter. "I don't mind."

Naruto resisted for a moment, then gave in, allowing Hinata to hug him closely. The tears ran faster now, and Naruto tried to stop them, because he was getting snot all over Hinata's pretty clothes, but Sayaka was _alive_ and he was so happy, and—

And—

"H-Hinata-chan, you should— you need to let go," Naruto whispered, hiccuping and pushing her away again. "I don't— I'm dangerous, okay? You have to get sensei, and—"

"Dangerous? Naruto-kun, I don't—"

"Just do it—"

Hinata reached out.

"Stay away!" Naruto shouted, voice high and panicked as he scrambled back. He was breathing heavily. "You— you have to stay away right now."

"Why?"

"I— I'm not _normal!_" Naruto cried. He wrapped his arms around his knees to hide. "I'm not, okay? When I— when I went to steal the scroll, when Mizuki tried to take it from me, he said— he said that— he that I was the Nine-tails."

Hinata froze, processing this in her mind. That… that didn't make sense to her. Why would— how did that—

Naruto continued. "After, we went back to the Tower, and Gramps said I was just the container, and I thought I was good. But then, when I thought Sayaka was dead, I got so angry. And I thought— I decided that Zabuza was going to die. And so— so I did it. I killed him. And— and when I was doing it, he tried to kill me too, and he _did_."

Hinata was silent, and Naruto was babbling now, clutching at his head with both hands.

"He _did, _I saw myself, I— he tore me open with a jutsu. I should be dead— there was so much blood, and I could see _bits_, but they fixed themselves and everything was red and then I tore him _open _and—"

Hinata grabbed Naruto and pulled him into a hug again.

"You're not a demon," said Hinata firmly. "Demons don't get upset about death like this. Demons… demons wouldn't kill for their friends. Demons only care about themselves, Naruto-kun. "

"B-but I—"

"You're not a demon, Naruto-kun," said Hinata. "It's going to be okay."

The dams finally broke in Naruto. He let out a wail and clutched at her, sobbing, until finally Kakashi came and found them.

* * *

"The Fourth Hokage is truly impressive," Danzo said, breathing out with relief. "To be able to modulate the Nine-tails and its influence with a natural feedback loop into the container's psyche, but without polluting it…"

"I'd prefer if you referred to Naruto-kun by name, Danzo," said Hiruzen testily, sucking on his pipe in the dim light of the secure briefing room that they had read Team Eagle's report in. "Surely, now, he deserves it."

"Right, right, I apologize," said Danzo, waving his hand at his old teammate. "But as I said, it's very impressive. And the Fourth did it all in one night too."

"It is also helpful that Naruto is very strong-willed," said Hiruzen. He blew out a mouthful of smoke. "His stubbornness helps in these cases, allowing him to control it effortlessly."

"Well, is it really control?" Danzo asked. "Though you're right, of course. As irritating as I find the boy, it's true that such bullheadedness helps. A lesser ninja would have been consumed by the rage of the demon fox."

"Yes, exactly," said Hiruzen. He shook his head and sighed. "This was not supposed to end the way it did. I didn't want this to happen to Naruto-kun."

"We would never have been able to shepherd him forever," said Danzo. He tapped his cane against the floor. "It sounds like Kakashi did the right thing. I was worried, but needlessly."

Hiruzen snorted. "You always worry needlessly."

"Yes, well, it's saved us in the past."

"Fair."

The two old men were silent for a moment, thinking.

"We should train him to control it better," Danzo said and held up a hand to forestall Hiruzen's response. "_Not_ to produce a weapon. I know you, and you know me, and there are many reasons why it wouldn't work anyway, from a practical perspective. But you must agree with me that it would be an extraordinary asset for protecting the village."

Hiruzen snorted. "Yes, well, you will forgive me for being suspicious, Danzo. Your inclinations are well known."

Danzo inclined his head. "Perhaps. But the reality is that pretending our jinchuuriki isn't one will be detrimental for all involved. Even leaving aside the martial benefits, outbursts will happen in the future. If you want Naruto to grow up with any sense of normalcy, he cannot be afraid of what happens if he becomes too angry."

Hiruzen sighed. "You've come prepared this time."

"I practiced in front of a mirror. Did I rush it?"

"No, it was very good."

"Thank you. But do you agree?"

Hiruzen sighed again. "Yes, I do, as much as I dislike the notion," he said, pulling at his pipe again. "Such is growing old and watching your children grow up."

Danzo carefully did not say that Naruto was not Hiruzen's son, or grandson for that matter, and that it seemed pointlessly sentimental to act as if he was.

"In any case, you may train him," said Hiruzen. "Focus on his control, and try not to infect him with dark thoughts."

"That is not hard," said Danzo. "We all love this village, after all. I do not think I will need to say anything else in order to motivate him."

Hiruzen huffed, but nodded. "Very well. Make sure to give me updates on his progress."

"Of course."

"Then let us turn our attention to Gato," said Hiruzen grimly. "This incident cannot go unpunished. What are your thoughts?"

Danzo's attention sharpened and he unrolled a map. "This is the situation as I see it. Gato heavily influences the eastern seaboard from here to here, and has absolute control over the Land of Waves, according to the intelligence provided by Team Eight's client. In addition…"


	8. Chapter 8

Sayaka blinked and saw a green haze filling her vision. It buzzed slightly, and felt like it was making her hair stand on end, except inside her skull and not outside. The sensation was entirely surreal.

"Oh, you're awake," said a voice, and a cat mask leaned over her to peer at her eyes.

What. Was— was this the afterlife? No, wait, had she turned into a yokai? Yokai wore masks like that, right? It… it made some sense. Uchiha were supposed to be affiliated with cats. She wasn't sure how she felt about being turned into a _cat spirit_, but…

"Yare yare, Uchiha-san, that's some crazy luck you have," the mask said, before going back and prodding at her skull. "Most people would have died, but not you. You hung on just enough for Kaka-senpai to restart your heart. Rare shit, that."

Sayaka blinked again.

"I'm alive?"

"Hell yeah, girl, you're alive," said the mask, and the green haze went away. "No lasting brain damage either, jeez, though I helped with that."

"What happened?"

"Well, basically, you were about a minute from death when Kaka-senpai managed to stitch you together like a shitty ass pinata," said the mask. It pulled a small slip of paper out and pasted it to Sayaka's forehead. She tried to reach for it, but found herself paralyzed.

It itched.

"But, shitty his job though it was, it was enough that he could use the emergency resuscitation procedure and get your heart going again," the mask continued, rolling away on a chair to fuss with something outside of Sayaka's vision. "From there, the hospital could treat you like a typical trauma victim. They warmed you up, got some saline into you, and the blood pills he shoved down your throat took care of the rest."

The mask rolled back into Sayaka's view and peered at her. "Good shit, all in all, and I even fixed your lung for you. You should be able to breathe properly, and your mind will sharpen up in a day or two. Lucky, lucky, little kitten. That's one of nine."

Sayaka scowled at it. "I'm not a kitten, yokai-san."

The mask cackled and rolled away again. "Yokai-san! I love it, I'm taking that forever! But anyway, we'll want you to stay still for a few days, so I'm going to put something into your IV."

Sayaka's scowl deepened. "Can you not?"

"I can not not," said the cat mask, and Sayaka began to feel drowsy. "Your lung and blood vessels may be shut, but they're tender and you're a silly little kitty who might go train. We don't want to have to put you back together again, so now that we know you're basically fine we'll have you stay asleep for a while."

Sayaka's eyes slipped shut, and she drifted away.

* * *

"I have a new C-rank mission for you."

Kiba fidgeted as the Hokage shut the door of the closed briefing room Team Eight had been directed to that morning. It had been three days since the Senfuku Attack, and everyone had heard something about what had happened. Rumors flew, and the story got wilder with each retelling. Kurenai and Kiba weren't sure they had heard anything resembling the truth from Kurenai's contacts, but they were probably more reputable than Kotetsu's latest from the gatehouse.

By now, they had confirmed that Sayaka was safe. In the hospital, apparently almost killed, but safe. The ANBU had brought a medic nin with them, who had given her a once over and declared her stable and on the path for a full recovery. So that was good.

Nothing else they had heard made any sort of sense. Depending on who you asked, Sayaka had either summoned a demon from the Uchiha Clan's secret techniques with her Sharingan, or Naruto had turned out to be an Uchiha all along, or Hinata had both the Byakugan and the Sharingan somehow, or…

By far, the most reputable rumor was that Naruto had some kind of freaky bloodline from the Land of Whirlpools, a country that had been thoroughly destroyed in the last war. Kurenai had pulled out her old war notes, and noted that the country had been a close ally of Konoha, with its own hidden village, before it had been crushed by Cloud and Rock in a combined assault. Characteristically, it had been a surprise attack, and characteristically it had been a pyrrhic victory that granted the Kumo and Iwa forces a strategic advantage they had not been able to capitalize on. In the end, Fire and Wave countries had taken in most of the survivors, one way or another, and a good number had joined Konoha. It wasn't at all unbelievable that a lost bloodline had re-manifested itself in an orphan. Many records had been destroyed in the Kyuubi's attack, after all.

They had discussed this with Shino and Sakura, and Team Eight collectively agreed that it was the only thing that made sense. How else could Naruto be the person who had managed to kill Momochi Zabuza?

_That _had been a shocker, and half of Konoha was convinced it was a mistake. He'd probably just been unexpectedly helpful. Or that bloodline of his, if it was real, had helped him pin down the missing nin while the _real_ killing blow came from Kakashi. Hell, even Sayaka or Hinata might have done the actual deed. But Naruto?

The other half of Konoha whispered a story about a bloody corpse that had been torn to shreds, and a demon huddled in its ribcage quietly consuming its heart. It was a story that made Kiba shudder.

"I'd like you to pull bodyguarding duty for Team Seven," said the Hokage, sitting down at the head of the conference table with a sigh. "They're already being guarded, of course, but ANBU can't interact with them the way we'd like. Your mission will be to protect them as they recover from their ordeal, of course, but they could use some friendly faces."

Team Eight collectively looked at each other. That was a strangely ominous statement.

"Of course, sir," said Kurenai. "We accept the mission. When do we depart?"

"This afternoon," said the Hokage. "You'll be heading straight to Senfuku and will be garrisoned there for the time being. You will be departing with other forces we're deploying to the region, so expect some degree of support when packing your mission packs. Details are in this scroll, of course—" the Hokage rolled a scroll across the table to Kurenai "—and your convoy leader will be Shiranui Genma. Contact him directly if you need additional details."

Kurenai picked up the scroll and the team stood and bowed.

"Sir."

* * *

"So, that's the cover story," said Kakashi. "Everyone have it memorized?"

Sayaka nodded from her hospital bed, and gave Naruto a considering look as the blonde very deliberately refused to meet anyone's gaze. Hinata was holding his hand comfortingly, but he still had something on his mind.

Well, no prizes for guessing. If it wasn't that it'd been his kunai in her chest a few days ago, it was the latest revelation about his… tenant.

Honestly it was probably both. The stabbing was Zabuza's trick, but the three of them shouldn't have hesitated. It wasn't Naruto's fault, but he was sure to be wracked with guilt anyway, the idiot. His worry about how Sayaka would take the news about the Kyuubi was more sensible, and in fairness Sayaka didn't know what to make of it, but that wasn't important right now.

"Hey, dumbass," Sayaka said. Naruto looked up at her and scowled.

"Why're you calling me a dumbass?" he asked.

"You're a dumbass for blaming yourself over me," said Sayaka bluntly. She shrugged her left shoulder, the right one immobilized to keep her from pulling the muscles in her chest. "We should have just killed him when we had the chance. Not your fault. It was a rookie mistake."

She looked over at Kakashi, who despite all the fabric covering his face was pale and drawn with worry. He hesitated, then nodded.

"Zabuza could take on Kage-level ninja and make it out alive, possibly kill them. We're lucky he hit his stride after the war, or else things could have been very different," said Kakashi. "Someone like that, unless you have orders to capture him, you can't afford to hesitate."

"Even you, s-sensei?" asked Hinata.

Kakashi nodded. "There's always a mission objective that's more important. If you left him alive, he'd prevent you from completing your mission. An old jounin has tricks to get out of chains unless you have specialized equipment for live retrieval, and trusting him to honor a ceasefire is stupid. So yes, you kill him, without hesitation. He knows that, and he'll do the same to you. It's part of being a shinobi."

There was a moment of grim silence.

"So there, dumbass, you're being stupid," said Sayaka. "It wasn't your fault, we all screwed up."

"We'll be better n-next time," said Hinata firmly, and squeezed his hand.

Naruto managed a pained smile. "Let's not have a next time, maybe?"

"Yes, let's not," said Kakashi with a sigh.

Sayaka looked down at her hands. It was surreal, thinking about what had happened. It really was amazing that she'd made it.

"Um, so, Naruto-kun's a-ability is… need-to-know, r-right?" asked Hinata. "Our f-friends will ask questions. W-what should we say?"

"Just say that you don't know what happened, and Naruto doesn't want to talk about it," said Kakashi, shrugging. "It's the truth. You only saw what happened afterwards, Hinata, and Sayaka wasn't there. Naruto's not comfortable talking about it, and good friends should respect that."

Sayaka and Hinata nodded at each other. They'd help keep that secret, at least.

"I guess it's a pretty useful ability," said Sayaka. She twirled a bit of her hair idly. "You going to train on it at all, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head furiously. "Are you kidding? I'm not— it's _super_ dangerous. I'm not going to use it around you guys, so you can forget about me poking at it!"

"It's really powerful though," said Sayaka. She pursed her lips. "It'd be useful, if we run into serious danger again, to have a trump card like that."

"S-Sayaka-chan isn't wrong," Hinata added. "We're not worried about y-you hurting us, so if you can get better at using it, it c-can only be helpful."

Naruto blinked tearfully at them and sniffed. "Y-You guys… you're— don't say stuff like that so sudden, you two."

Sayaka looked nonplussed. "What's gotten into you?"

Naruto sniffled and rubbed his eyes, then grinned brightly. "I was so worried, I thought you'd be scared of me. I didn't want—" he paused to sniff again, and Hinata handed him a tissue "—I'm just so glad you're okay with— with me. You know?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes, looking away to hide sympathetic tears. When he put it that way, it made her want to cry too.

"Dumbass, now who's saying weird stuff?" she said.

"Hehe, sorry Sayaka-chan."

They all took a moment to deal with their emotions. The clock on the wall ticked in the silence of the room. A pair of nurses passed by outside, chattering about a patient. It sounded like the patient was doing well.

Then Kakashi pulled out a book.

"Well, given how things are going, I think Gato's going to have some bad days soon," said Kakashi. He thumbed through his novel, looking for where he'd left off, then sighed. "It's a bit troublesome, but we'll probably end up being on call for any whack-a-mole jobs. The team will probably cycle out for training and recuperation for a month or two, then cycle back in time for operations against Gato's empire to kick off."

"Konoha's going to really do something about him?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi nodded. "When your crime bosses start hiring A-rank ninja, you deal with them promptly," he said. "You'd be stupid to do otherwise. Besides, this sort of thing—" he gestured broadly at the team "—can't be allowed to slide. We're going to make an example of Gato."

Naruto looked down uncertainly for a moment, but then looked back up with a determined expression. "Good. He deserves it, especially if what they say about Wave is true."

Kakashi looked up at him over the top of the book. There was a moment where they made eye contact, and Sayaka sensed that Kakashi was making a judgment call. Then Kakashi's exposed eye crinkled into a smile. "I'm glad you're fired up for it."

"W-will we be going back to Konoha soon?" asked Hinata.

"That's the rumor," said Kakashi. His gaze turned back down and he flipped the page of his book. "Given Sayaka's condition, and the state of affairs, a team of jounin will be taking over the rest of our contracted time to Lord Hayashi."

Sayaka nodded to herself. That made sense. "Are we leaving the castle?"

Kakashi shook his head. "On the contrary, Lord Hayashi is insisting that we stay. He appears to be interested in making friends. Team Eight will be joining us, which will be fun, eh Sayaka?"

Sayaka blinked at him, then felt herself flush. "Kiba's got nothing to do with anything!"

"Oh? I meant Haruno Sakura—you two had mentioned wanting to catch up before Team Eight had to leave for their mission."

Sayaka went darker red and ignored Naruto and Hinata giggling at her. "A-anyway, why're they coming? Is there a mission they're part of?"

"Officially, they're on guard duty while you recover," said Kakashi, flipping another page. "We're expecting some kind of retaliation, after all. Unofficially, this kind of mission structure is common among rookie genin teams. When he can, Hokage-sama likes to give genin a chance to catch up with each other. It's a good way to foster exchange of techniques and helps strengthen our personnel base."

He looked up, eye crinkling with another smile. "Put another way, the Hokage thinks making friends is good for you, and tries to align schedules when he can."

Sayaka snorted. "What a long-winded explanation just to say that."

"U-um, well, it's good t-that the Hokage tries," said Hinata. "It will be g-good to catch up with Team Eight."

Naruto nodded. "Hey, you think Kiba would be good for help with my, uh, with my bloodline?"

Sayaka frowned thoughtfully. "…maybe?"

"Let's not worry about that outside the village," said Kakashi firmly. "We want to have more people on hand when we start messing with it. Unknown bloodlines can go out of control very quickly, after all."

Team Seven collectively grimaced.

"Alright, then can you teach us some kind of jutsu?" Naruto asked. "We'll be sitting around for like a week!"

Sayaka leaned back as the conversation drifted off to mundane topics, fatigue pulling at her eyelids. She really wasn't back up to strength if she was starting to get sleepy after such a short conversation. She expected to be thoroughly out of shape by now, and wondered how long it would take to get back to her previous level.

Further musings were cut short as she dozed off.

* * *

Naruto snapped awake with a gasp and rolled out of his futon.

The rooms provided by Lord Hayashi were small but offered a certain amount of privacy. It was important because Naruto snored, and nobody wanted to listen to him all night. It also saved Naruto from waking anyone else up as he shuffled back into a corner and hugged his knees tightly to his chest.

The nightmare echoed in his head. There had been so much blood. Everything had been red and sticky-slick with gore. He could _smell it_.

"Deep breath, Naruto," Kakashi whispered from the doorway. Naruto flinched, looking up at his sensei with wild eyes. "It's okay, it's just me."

Naruto stifled a whimper and pressed his head into his knees. "Go 'way."

"No, I think I'll stay," Kakashi replied. He shut the door silently and ghosted over to Naruto on bare feet. He paused for a moment, looking at Naruto, then slowly sat down next to him and pulled out a book.

They stayed that way for half an hour. Kakashi read quietly while Naruto slowly, slowly began to dispel the remnants of his dreams.

"Does it ever stop?" Naruto asked.

"Not really," said Kakashi. He flipped a page. "They come and go. It's part of something we call battle stress. It's the result of traumatic events. A lot of shinobi get them, and if you're lucky the symptoms go away eventually. I'm not so lucky—mine have been bad too these days."

"Really?"

Kakashi nodded. Out the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto looking at him in shock. "Mine aren't that much better than yours, I suspect."

"W-what… what do you dream about?"

"I'd like not to say," said Kakashi. He sighed. "It's not a competition anyway. It hurts regardless."

Naruto nodded, and turned away, letting his head fall onto his knees. "How do you deal with it, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I read," said Kakashi. He flipped his page again. "When I first started, I was about six. My father had… just died, and my grief counselor wasn't exactly awake at that time of night. So I read books to take my mind off the nightmares and get back to sleep. After a while, it was just another hobby."

"Heh. What's your favorite?"

Kakashi made a thoughtful noise. "That's a surprisingly hard question. There's a smut series called _Icha Icha_ that's a lot of fun."

Naruto wrinkled his nose at him. "Ew, sensei. That's so gross."

"Says the inventor of the Sexy Jutsu."

"That's different!" Naruto huffed. "When you do it as an attack instead of a hobby, it's fine."

"Uh huh."

"It's true! It's uh, it's a kind of deception!"

"It'd be a whole lot more convincing if you were better at using it in a fight," said Kakashi. "Show me some proper battlefield application and we'll talk."

"Ehh? Fine then, I'll figure something out, just you wait!"

Kakashi huffed a laugh at Naruto and turned his page. "You do that."

There was another moment of silence.

"…It doesn't stop then."

"It gets better, but it won't ever really stop," said Kakashi. "Some days it'll be good, other days it'll be bad. Maybe someone will do something that sets you off."

"The smell is what gets me," said Naruto. He looked down at his hands with a grimace. "It was in my dream. Just, the smell of iron, everywhere. Even when I pinched my nose shut, it was in my mouth and— and— it was awful."

"Well, let's hope you don't get too many nosebleeds," said Kakashi. He looked Naruto over. "Do you want a book? For next time."

Naruto considered, then nodded. "No smut."

"Relax, I have plenty of wholesome stuff too," said Kakashi. He reached into his vest and pulled out another book. "Here, _The Water Margin_, volume one of ten. Let me know when you finish it, and I'll lend you the next one. Or maybe you can just buy it when we get back to Konoha?"

Naruto nodded. It might be a bit of an adventure to actually get the books, but he'd see if he liked the story first. "Thanks sensei."

"We'll also need to get you to a counselor when we get back," said Kakashi.

Naruto grimaced. "Do I… do I have to?"

"Yes," said Kakashi. "They're not great, I'll admit, but they do help."

"What do you do at the counselor anyway?" asked Naruto. "Isn't it just talking about your feelings and stuff?"

"Sure, but like I said, it helps," said Kakashi. "Sometimes you really just needed someone to vent at, and your friends are sometimes hard to talk to about that sort of thing."

Naruto made a face but nodded. "Okay, I guess."

Kakashi patted him on the head. "It'll be good for you. Why don't you get started on that book? Do you want me to stay a while?"

Naruto shook his head. "I think I'm okay. I'll read a little then go back to sleep."

Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair, then got up. "Alright. See you around, Naruto."

"Night, sensei," said Naruto, before the door closed and he was alone again. He looked down at the book in his hands and turned it over, lost in thought. This was his life now, huh?

It sucked.

Silently, Naruto opened the book to its first page.

* * *

The gardens in Hayashi Castle were beautiful, as befit a lord ruling over a city like Senfuku and the towns and hamlets which surrounded it. The paths meandered between mounds built up like mountains, with mosses and blossoms growing across the cliffs of granite that jutted out over the valleys that Kiba and Akamaru walked through. The air was damp and thick with the smell of soil and slowly rotting wood, and water pooled in the stone tiles that Kiba's sandals trod across.

He felt his heart racing in his chest and frowned, trying to calm his nerves. He had been trying for the last three days on the road to Senfuku, but had been unsuccessful.

He rubbed his thumb over the slip of paper in his pocket, that he'd written on after getting word that they were shipping out to Senfuku. He hadn't known what to say, still didn't really, especially after his babbling at Kurenai-sensei back—gods, had it been a week ago now?

Kiba sighed and came to a stop to rub at the bridge of his nose. Gods, he was such a mess. Saying those kinds of things was so embarrassing, but what made it all worse was that he wasn't sure how much he meant it. It was true, _everybody_ crushed on the Uchiha-hime, and it was also true that he'd been surprised and flattered that Sayaka had asked him for a second date, but he hadn't expected—well, his feelings hadn't been that crazy before he left for Wave. Which was to say, he'd expected to schedule the second date sometime sooner rather than later, he expected them to maybe try a few more times, and he expected Sayaka to lose interest. Nothing personal, just, you know, it didn't really work out.

Maybe it was because he knew just how big a deal Zabuza was, and the shock of it all had triggered something in him? That didn't really make any sense—you liked who you liked, danger and threats shouldn't really change that right?

But then, well, he was an Inuzuka, and he knew his family had some… interesting issues, when it came to forming bonds. For all their famed loyalty, Inuzuka had always had problems falling too hard and too fast for others. That was why Kiba's dad wasn't really in the picture these days, after all, and maybe that was why Kiba had, well, kind of lost it.

Akamaru whined and tugged at Kiba's sleeve.

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba sighed. "I know, but still, I don't want to, you know, creep her out."

Akamaru made a noise at him.

"Sure, but… I dunno, doesn't it seem kind of needy?"

Akamaru scoffed. How could it be needy? They weren't even a couple yet!

"Heh, that's true. I'm putting the cart before the horse, I guess."

Exactly, you can figure it out as you go. You two have good compatibility. I can smell it!

"Can you?"

Yeah, both of your hormones go all funny, it's hilarious!

"Ugh, asshole, don't tease me like that!"

Akamaru snickered, at least as best a dog could snicker, and flicked an ear, gesturing down the path.

"Yeah, yeah."

They continued around the corner into a clearing, where the tiles turned off to the side and emptied into a pool of sand and rock, carefully manicured moss adorning the peaks to capture a facsimile of the mountains an hour's walk from Senfuku.

Next to it was Sayaka, sitting quietly with her legs crossed and fifteen handkerchiefs spinning around her. Each piece of fabric spun flat at a right angle to the ground, orbiting slowly around the girl in broader and broader layers. Kiba watched one of the handkerchiefs slowly migrate outwards, swirling into line with others in the outermost circle. The rings wobbled as the handkerchief moved, seemed to hold for a moment when it reached the outermost ring, then failed entirely.

Sayaka sighed and opened her eyes. She fixed her gaze on the fallen handkerchief in front of her, silently mulling over her performance.

"Hey" Kiba said quietly, and Sayaka waved back idly, before blinking and looking up.

"When did you get here?" she asked, and pushed a lock of hair back behind her ear.

"An hour ago, roughly," said Kiba. He pushed his hands into his pockets, trying to look casual. "I uh, I dipped after we got our stuff dropped off. Heard you were in here meditating, so figured I'd come say hi."

Sayaka smiled slightly and picked up a handkerchief with her chakra to pull it towards her. "Is that so."

Kiba blushed slightly. "I guess."

"Well you found me," said Sayaka. She twirled the handkerchief in a circle, making it fan out. "Come and sit?"

"Sure."

Kiba and Akamaru padded over through the grass and sat down with a thump next to Sayaka. Akamaru wagged his tail and whined plaintively at Sayaka until she gave up her handkerchief to give him chin scratches.

"You okay?" asked Kiba.

"Yeah. I'm not supposed to train for a few weeks, but I'm okay."

Kiba huffed and grinned. "That'll be hard for you."

Sayaka smiled a little. "It is."

There was a moment of silence.

"I was worried for you," said Kiba.

"You were?"

"Yeah."

"…thanks."

Kiba looked over at her. She had an expression on her face like she had been handed an unexpected gift and didn't know what to make of it. Did she accept it, or was it more polite to try and refuse, or…?

After a moment, she settled on pleased, and looked over at Kiba with a smile that made Kiba's stomach do funny flips. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I had seven yakidango over you," said Kiba. He plucked a few blades of grass idly. "I had to do like a million extra laps to work them off."

Sayaka's expression turned nonplussed, then amused. "You stress eat?"

"Well, Kurenai-sensei does," said Kiba. "Apparently she usually gets this lady named Anko to eat with her, but she was out of town on a mission and I was pretty worried too. So it worked out."

"I didn't think Kurenai-sensei was that kind of person," said Sayaka. She considered this new information. "…how does she stay so thin?"

"Sensei's workouts are _brutal_," said Kiba. "Like, holy shit."

"Can't be worse than Kakashi's teamwork obstacle courses. I had to drag Naruto up a cliff."

Kiba snickered. "Wish I could have seen that."

"Sensei has photos."

"I'll ask Kakashi-sensei then."

"Please don't."

Kiba and Sayaka looked at each other, grinning, and broke into laughter. It was a good feeling.

"So uh, are you still interested in that second date?" Kiba asked. It didn't seem necessary, but he thought he may as well ask.

"Yeah," said Sayaka, looking down at her hands with a smile and pushing a lock of hair back behind her ear again. She was quiet for a moment, before her face fell. "I… you should know that I still have a date with Shikamaru later, when I get back to Konoha."

"Yeah, I figured," said Kiba with a small sigh. "It's how that stuff goes. I guess we can't really be dating either, yeah?"

Sayaka considered, then frowned. "…probably not."

"Eh, it's fine," said Kiba. He looked over at her and leaned back casually. "I know I'm the favorite right now, so I'm good. You do what you need to do."

Sayaka looked down at where he was lounging, still frowning. "Awfully sure of yourself, Inuzuka."

"Course I am," said Kiba. He grinned at her. "I'm not wrong, right? Shikamaru's cool, but he's not really your type, and besides nobody's really sure that the Nara bloodline will mix well with the Sharingan. Shino's cool too, but you and me both are weirded out by the bugs, and I'm his teammate. Chouji's fine, but he's _also_ really not your type, and his clan's techniques are all opposite what Uchiha are supposed to be good at. That's all the eligible boys in our year, and you can't marry the girls, so there."

Sayaka turned away, rolling her eyes, and scoffed. "You've put way too much thought into it."

"Like you haven't done the same."

"Shut up."

Kiba laughed and scooted closer. "There's also my winning personality and rugged good looks, like a guy out of a shoujo manga," he said teasingly. "I'm the ideal boyfriend for you."

"You're way too short to be a shoujo manga love interest," said Sayaka flatly, and flicked him on the forehead. Kiba made a pained noise but laughed anyway. "How do you know what's in shoujo manga anyway?"

"Hand-me-downs," said Kiba as he rubbed his forehead. "Seriously, when it's shoujo manga or homework, there's only one real option."

Sayaka scowled. "If we have kids you better not give them your bad habits."

She paused, then both of them turned red and looked away from each other. Jeez, of all the things for her to say!

A moment passed.

"Sorry. I made it weird."

Akamaru barked, and Kiba went darker red.

"Stop making it worse, Akamaru!" he scolded, grabbing the puppy by the scruff of the neck to wave a finger at him. "No buts!"

Akamaru pouted, but whined, which apparently was acquiescence. Sayaka coughed as the moment passed.

"So since Team Eight's here for a mission, I guess we can't actually go on a date in Senfuku," said Kiba. He lay back on the ground and tucked his hands behind his head. "This is nice though."

Sayaka hummed, glancing over as he moved before looking away quickly, then nodding in agreement. "It is."

They fell silent, staring off into the distance quietly.

"How does the Inuzuka clan handle inheritance?" Sayaka asked.

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "Eldest-first. Why?"

"I was just thinking about the Hayashi clan," said Sayaka. She folded the handkerchief in her hand reflexively, making it take the shape of a flower. "They only succeed through the male line."

"Sounds about right."

"I think the Uchiha were like that too."

"…Uh huh."

"I'll have to change it," said Sayaka. She unfolded the handkerchief, pulling out one petal at a time. "I mean, it doesn't make sense for me to do it through the male line, right?"

"I guess not," said Kiba. He propped himself up on his elbows. "I don't think anybody cares right now though. It's not like you can have kids."

"No," said Sayaka. The handkerchief was fully open in her lap. "It's just been on my mind. Betrothal contracts too. There's… a lot of ways for those to go badly for me. And the Uchiha clan."

"I guess I never thought of it that way," said Kiba cautiously.

Sayaka shook her head. "You wouldn't. It's not your problem, but the Inuzuka are also pretty strong as clans go. Not as much as the Hyuuga, but strong. You're not like… me."

Kiba licked his lips. "Well I mean, you're better than me at being a ninja, so…"

"Not like that," said Sayaka, but she smiled anyway and only gently flicked him on the nose. "It'd be great if everyone was looking out for me, but I know that nobody will do that. I have to worry about the terms of the contract, don't I? Even if they sound reasonable, they might have problems in the long term."

"What are you worried about?" asked Kiba. "It can't be that crazy can it?"

"If you and I got married and had kids, whose family do they belong to?" asked Sayaka.

Kiba opened his mouth, instinctively about to say "the Inuzuka". He stopped himself, and thought about what that would mean. There was a pause while he looked down and thought about it, then looked back up again.

"Both?" he asked.

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "Maybe. But what happens when one of them screws up? Whose clan law do they fall under?"

Kiba looked down again, then looked back up with a perplexed expression. "I don't know."

"I don't either," said Sayaka. She sighed. "I have to go learn about it."

"Yeah. That sucks."

Sayaka shrugged. It was what it was. It was horrifyingly complex, but it was part of her life now, and she had to deal with it. The mission, and talking to Fumiyo, had reminded her of that. Of course, it wasn't like she had Fumiyo's problems, and Sayaka's position was a lot more tractable. But she had a lot of other problems that Fumiyo _didn't_ have, because Fumiyo wasn't also the clan head for her family.

"Do you think I should buy a house?" asked Sayaka.

"…why would you buy a house?"

"It might make it seem like I have a better negotiating position."

"I doubt it," said Kiba. "You can always just say that you'll buy one after we get married."

"That's true. But then why wouldn't your mom buy the house?"

"I mean she'd offer, but it's obviously a bad idea for you, right?"

"Yeah."

Kiba paused, then sat up with a shiver. "This is a weird conversation. Can we change topics?"

Sayaka sniffed and smiled. "Don't like planning your future, Kiba?"

"No! It's— it's weird! I have to like, imagine you all swollen like a watermelon—"

Sayaka whapped him over the head. "I'd look just fine pregnant, thank you."

"That's not what I meant!" said Kiba, holding his head where she'd hit him. "It's just weird to imagine you that way!"

Sayaka considered, then subsided. "Fair enough. It's weird for me too."

"You know a lot of other kids our age would just be doing whatever," said Kiba with a scowl. "Clan stuff is super annoying. Can we just, like, pretend we're not members of clans for a moment and go do something fun?"

Sayaka sighed and got to her feet. It was a fair point, and besides she wasn't going to be able to concentrate for her chakra exercise with Kiba around. "We'll have to meet up with everyone else first."

"Sure, but like, let's just not worry about clan stuff for now," said Kiba. He stretched where he was sitting, popping a joint in his back with a grunt. "You know? You gotta do all those dumb first dates with everyone first anyway."

"Fair," said Sayaka. She held out a hand for Kiba to take. He looked at it for a moment, then grabbed it and pulled himself up. It occurred to Sayaka that, in shoujo manga, this was usually the part where the boy gave the heroine a kiss.

"So like, what sort of things can you do in Senfuku?" asked Kiba as he let go of her hand and began to brush himself off.

"No idea," said Sayaka. She checked herself for stray bits of grass and viciously squashed the sense of disappointment that had suddenly washed over her. "Naruto and Hinata went on a date though—don't tell anyone—so we can ask them."

"Yo, really? Did Hinata finally ask him out properly?"

"No, Naruto did."

"Gods, did he finally notice that she's had a crush on him for years?"

"No, he's still oblivious. The way it happened was…"

Eiichi and Fumiyo had been taken back to Hayashi Castle when Zabuza had attacked, but in the wake of the momentous events it became necessary to complete the ritual. After all, the two were still getting married in a few years, and tradition still needed to be followed. The transit was much swifter and much more discreet this time, escorted by a team of four jounin. It was tremendous overkill, but Lord Hayashi was an important customer, and frankly the jounin were probably in Senfuku for a number of ulterior motives.

Teams Seven and Eight accompanied them as guests, just for the day. Fumiyo had wanted her friends to come with her, and Team Eight was assigned to guard them. By some unspoken agreement, the ninja had decided that Team Eight would keep a perimeter presence while Team Seven stayed closer to the principal. The jounin team that was Fumiyo's actual guard worked an even further perimeter, though one of them acted as Fumiyo's "chaperone".

Even though Team Seven wasn't actually on-mission, it seemed impossible not to fall into mission habits. For one thing, D-ranks had eliminated "just hanging out" as a context where turning off mission-mode was possible. For another thing, there was no way that Team Seven was going to relax after Zabuza's attack. It was just stupid not to be paranoid.

Besides, Team Eight wasn't good friends with Fumiyo the way that Team Seven was. It would be a little hard for her to relax if she was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and she was going to have enough of that at Aoyagi Mansion.

Aoyagi Mansion was really the Eastern Coast Fort. They had occupied the fortification, at first as pirates, and then as privateers for the Hayashi Clan. It made for a… complicated relationship with the rest of Senfuku, which had several families whose ships had been raided by the Aoyagi back before they had entered the service of the Hayashi.

In their defense, the internal politics were just as complicated and Eiichi's father had been the son of the Aoyagi clansman who had usurped the original pirate lord who controlled the family. There had been a coup, several heads had rolled, and said heads had been presented to the Hayashi clan head of the time as part of their change of status from pirate to privateer. This still left them with a questionable reputation among many of the noble families, but they didn't really seem to care.

The day started late, with a small snack after waking late in the morning before leaving, under guard, for the Aoyagi Mansion for lunch. The planned meal had involved luxuriously fatty grilled beef, even for the guards, a gesture that everyone appreciated deeply, Kiba in particular.

Except that, when Naruto saw what was being served, his face had done a funny thing and he had very quietly asked for seafood. It was a violation of guest protocol, and besides Sayaka had never known Naruto to actually prefer seafood over beef, but Naruto had been politely insistent, despite the obvious discomfiture of the servers. He did his best to smooth things over, and in the end they'd eventually just had to give him some soba noodles with fresh clams. Fortunately, nobody was offended, and if anything the Aoyagi staff was embarrassed that this was all they could do. Naruto insisted it was fine and thanked the servers profusely.

It struck Sayaka as odd, and she'd exchanged a look with Hinata. They'd thought Naruto had gotten over the whole thing with Zabuza, but it seemed that he hadn't. It was true that beef smelled very metallic, so maybe…

They would have to talk to him about it later. It wasn't impeding him from enjoying the day though, and they let it slide for now.

"So it's said that girls aren't supposed to use a sword," said Eiichi as the group headed for the mansion's central courtyard and sparring ring. "Despite that, the Aoyagi clan has had a long history of making sure its women can handle themselves in a fight."

Sayaka glanced over at Fumiyo, who had changed out of her dress after lunch and was currently dressed similarly to Eiichi in a set of hakama and jacket in Hayashi-family powder blue. It was apparently one of her brother's old sets, from when he was younger, and Hana had privately mentioned to Sayaka that it'd been snuck out of his bedroom last night during dinner.

"I mention this because I suspect we'll have an audience," said Eiichi as they approached the last corner.

Fumiyo stopped, suddenly looking unsure. The hubbub of people was clearly audible.

"If you don't want them around, I can have a word with them," said Eiichi, coming to a stop as well. "Word's gotten around is all."

Fumiyo took a breath, held it, and blew it out again. "…It's fine. It's just a spar, after all."

Naruto whacked her on the back companionably, making her stumble and cough. "You'll do fine! We'll be here for a while, right? You got lots of chances to show off!"

Sayaka reached over and whacked Naruto on the head. "Don't. Hit. The client."

"It's fine," Fumiyo wheezed, hands braced on her knees as Hana rubbed her on the back and glared at Naruto.

"…anyway, let's head in," said Eiichi, eyebrow raised. "Fumiyo-chan?"

He held out a hand. Fumiyo stood up straight and sighed, then took Eiichi's hand and let him pull her forward. Sayaka watched as they turned the corner together into a wall of noise, the many retainers of the Aoyagi clan cheering and hollering like the sailors they were.

"Reminds me of the Inuzuka compound," said Kiba as Team Eight dropped down from the rooftops. "Same amount of drinking, same amount of noise."

A chant started up, apparently with half the crowd supporting Fumiyo and the other half supporting Eiichi.

"…yeah, same amount of noise," said Kiba. He laughed sheepishly. "Man, I guess it takes seeing it from the outside sometimes, doesn't it?"

"Remind me if we ever meet your clan," Sakura said with a look of moderate distaste. "I think I'll need to prepare myself."

"Is there quite as much drinking at Inuzuka gatherings?" asked Shino. He pushed his sunglasses up his nose with a finger. "I ask because the kikaichu respond poorly to alcohol."

"Do they really?" asked Kiba, nonplussed.

"Yes."

"But don't you use them to draw out poisons?"

"It is not the same," said Shino.

"Well, uh, kids our age aren't expected to drink with the adults," said Kiba, "so it'll probably be fine? My cousins might hit on you though."

"You mean on me," said Sakura.

"No, well, both of you," said Kiba. He seemed to wilt a little. "Look man, Inuzuka are pretty open to hitting on anything that moves, alright? It's not a big deal but, you know, some guys act weird about it."

Sayaka, Naruto, and Hinata all looked at each other.

"That's wild, man," said Naruto to Kiba. "You into guys at all then?"

"Kind of— well— hold on," spluttered Kiba. "Hold on, stop, I'm not talking about that _here_."

Sayaka tilted her head at him. "You're blushing."

"Anybody would over this crap!" Kiba protested, flushing further. "Gods, don't you have a sparring match to go watch? Leave off will ya?"

Naruto snickered but acquiesced, turning on his heel and casually looping his fingers behind his head. "Just teasing, Kiba, don't worry about it alright? I'm sure Sayaka thinks you're cute either way."

He dodged the kick Sayaka sent at his cranium with a cackle.

* * *

The matches had been delayed briefly while Fumiyo had meeted and greeted the assemblage of clansmen and been widely complimented as an excellent match for Eiichi. The fights had proceeded as expected, which was to say that Fumiyo and Eiichi were both relatively novice sword fighters. Eiichi probably could have put up a good fight against an average genin, mostly because he had regular conditioning from seafaring and regular practice. Fumiyo could keep up for a bout or three, but she couldn't keep her sword tip from drooping after several rounds. It was fine if she was just fending off an attacker, but wouldn't save her unless someone arrived to finish the assassin off.

"Hah, wow, I'm tired," Fumiyo sighed as she sat down on the bench next to Sayaka. She was dripping sweat, her hair sticking to her forehead and neck. Hana hurried over with a pitcher of cold barley tea. "Thank you Hana."

"More training," said Sayaka with a shrug, and poured the tea into Fumiyo's waiting cup.

"Cheers," said Fumiyo, raising her glass briefly, before swallowing the tea in three gulps. Hana began to comb back Fumiyo's hair as Sayaka poured a second cup for the noble girl. "You're right, of course, Sayaka. I'm not there yet."

Sayaka shrugged again. "It will come with time and practice."

"Yes," said Fumiyo, and this time she sipped at her tea. Hana carefully pulled Fumiyo's hair back into a ponytail, holding the strands up off the back of her neck. In the ring, Eiichi was facing off against one of the older boys.

"Do your best Eiichi-kun!" Fumiyo called, waving at her fiancé. Eiichi nodded back with a small smile, then pulled his facemask down to get ready for the spar.

"You are having fun though?" asked Sayaka.

"I am," said Fumiyo with a smile. "It is a great improvement to be allowed to stretch my limits."

In the practice ring, wood crashed against wood. Fumiyo cheered as Eiichi slid past his opponent, twisting around to block a strike to his side before returning to guard and staring the taller boy down.

"You think you will enjoy yourself here?"

"I do," said Fumiyo. Hana finished tying back Fumiyo's hair, and Fumiyo thanked her. "It is not everything, of course, to be allowed to practice my swordplay without restriction, and I will try not to become too enthusiastic. But it is a good change."

"You may find that the Aoyagi are less courteous than you expect in the ring," said Sayaka. She poured herself a cup of tea. "They seem similar to ninja that way."

Fumiyo hummed thoughtfully. "Practice like it is war, and then war will seem like practice?"

"Precisely."

"You are right, I am not sure I can keep up with such training," Fumiyo admitted. She paused to cheer again as Eiichi scored an excellent hit on his opponent, sending the older boy reeling backwards. But the follow-up blow didn't land, the older boy blocking it with some flailing, causing Eiichi to retreat.

"Practice," said Sayaka simply, and Fumiyo nodded again.

"I think that it will be a case of showing I am willing to put in the effort," said Fumiyo. "The rest will come with time—we have years."

"Yes," said Sayaka. "Do you worry still, about the other things we talked about?"

Fumiyo paused, face falling briefly, and nodded. "I am sure that today I am only seeing the best of the Aoyagi. There is always another side."

Sayaka nodded as well. Just because things looked good didn't mean they didn't come with a price.

"But… I think, again, that I have many years to learn and understand those things," said Fumiyo thoughtfully. "By the time that Eiichi and I are married properly, they will be something I can work with, not just barriers."

Sayaka nodded again, and the two of them paused to watch as Eiichi found himself thrown to the ground after attempting to close inside of the taller boy's reach. Fumiyo winced, and set her tea aside to clap as Eiichi pulled himself upright, acknowledging his loss.

"Shinobi, since you are here, do any of you wish a bout?" Eiichi asked. He looked over to Sayaka, then to Naruto. "Uzumaki-san, you expressed interest earlier."

"Hell yeah!" said Naruto, popping out of his seat. The group laughed, and Naruto laughed a little sheepishly. "Ah, I mean, if you're offering, I'd be happy to spar."

Eiichi looked amused but gestured at his opponent. "Why not try a bout with Kenshi here?"

"Getting tired, Princeling?" called out one of the clansmen.

"Only a little," Eiichi called back, "but Fumiyo-chan looks lonely."

"Hah!" another clansman laughed. "Such are the dangers of a pretty face!"

"Don't let her make you soft, Princeling!" another clansman shouted. "Too much time in the bedroom'll make you unfit to serve on deck!"

The group laughed, and Fumiyo blushed, and Eiichi waved his sword in annoyance.

"Hey now, don't go making fun of my girl!" Eiichi shouted. "Show some courtesy!"

"Yeah, yeah," said the offending sailor, waving an arm to take responsibility for the comment. "Apologies, Hayashi-san."

Fumiyo pressed her lips together nervously, then stood up and faced the person waving at her.

"Y-you're wrong!" she shouted. "Eiichi-kun would get p-p-plenty of exercise in the bedroom, s-so he'd be just fine to go back on a ship!"

There was a moment of deeply stunned silence.

Then the group broke out into an uproar, cheering and shouting and stamping their feet as Fumiyo went utterly scarlet and pressed her hands to her mouth in shock at herself. For that matter, Sayaka found herself blushing just from hearing Fumiyo's words. What a thing to say!

"That's you put in your place Mahiro!" someone yelled. "Going soft, hah! More like getting even harder, eh Princess?"

Fumiyo's mortification deepened, but she managed to say "E-exactly!" and got an even louder cheer for it.

It was amazingly scandalous, Sayaka thought, and looked over at Hinata and Naruto. Hinata was hiding behind her hands in sympathetic horror, and even Naruto—inventor of lewd transformation techniques—was looking shocked. Sayaka wondered if this was what it was like at Kiba's family gatherings.

She looked back at Fumiyo, whose blush hadn't gone down at all, but who was holding her position firmly as Eiichi tried to calm everyone down and get the fights going again. There was only so much Fumiyo could take, after all, even if she was returning fire impressively. It took a moment, but Naruto eventually got called out onto the practice field and Fumiyo sat down again, looking resolutely away from Sayaka, face still scorchingly red.

Well. At least she was making herself popular?


	9. Chapter 9

It became rapidly apparent just what sorts of things Konoha was intending for Gato.

The Hokage had taken tremendous offense at Gato's impertinence, and intended to show to everyone in the Five Elemental Nations just what happened when you felt yourself the better of the Daimyo's chosen guardians of the provinces. The number of jounin who showed up in the wake of Team Seven's disaster of a mission was truly extraordinary. A statement would be written in blood—it was just a question of when and where.

As a consequence, the healthy members of Team Seven were being kept very busy. Naruto and Hinata had been put in the usual genin role of running messages, while Kakashi was the Konoha jounin closest to the real intel on the situation. He ended up spending much of the ensuing weeks conducting briefings, seeming to find it all very dull. The irritating thing, he told Team Seven, was that he wasn't actually gathering intel. That task had fallen to Team Minami, which was doing a combination of vanishing into the woodwork and appearing at odd hours to deliver large packets of information on par with the best in Konoha. After several weeks of this, a team of intel analysts had eventually shipped out and, while initially skeptical, quickly warmed up to the "provincial ninja team" that Team Minami professed to be.

Minami clearly found it all very gratifying.

Several chunin teams were deployed out to Senfuku as well, and word started to come in of mysterious events in the docks. Things going bump in the night, offices mysteriously rearranged, shadows flitting about in the dark—things that spoke to something coming but not to what. Team Minami's reports began to speak of increased enforcer patrols and civilians being beaten for little or no reason by jittery and apprehensive gang members, while stockpiles of weapons and ammunition began to appear alongside shipments of smuggled goods. The criminal underworld seemed to be gearing up for a fight to defend what they considered theirs, even though they had no right to it.

Team Seven would never admit it, but they were glad when the day came to go back to Konoha. Their return was quiet and, to anyone who wasn't familiar with Team Seven's dynamics, they were returning home in good order. Kakashi knew better: Sayaka wasn't back up to strength, Naruto was being oddly reluctant to eat anything but seafood, and Hinata was visibly worried for the both of them. Kakashi had a quick word with the gate team to have them process their paperwork quickly, and he had intentionally arranged for their post-mission debrief to be postponed a few days so that they didn't need to go straight to the Hokage's tower after checking in.

"Head home, team," said Kakashi. Team Seven had arrived at the gates of Konoha late in the evening, with the setting sun casting the village in gold and amber. "It's been a long mission."

"Meeting time?" asked Sayaka.

"Ten," said Kakashi. He held up his hands at their noises of disbelief. "I know, it's later than usual, but I don't want us taking D-ranks yet and aggressive training isn't a good idea for Sayaka. We'll do some advanced chakra control exercises together, talk about team combat some more, that sort of thing."

Sayaka tilted her head at him, then nodded. It was all very fair, even if it was a little irritating. She'd lost a lot of progress, and needed to make up for it.

But, with a sigh, Sayaka acknowledged that aggravating her injuries would just set her back further. So she left for home, walking along with Hinata and Naruto in companionable silence until she turned off for the street to her apartment. The walk was familiar, lined with the same shops and the same vending machines that sold the same drinks even during winter when nobody wanted iced tea. It was the same walk she'd taken for years to and from the Academy. Ever since she'd started living with Hiroyo.

Sayaka turned a corner and went a short way down an alley before taking the steps up to her apartment. She felt her lips curl into a smile, and something in her chest twinge. Was she taking the steps too fast? She was sure she wasn't _that _injured anymore.

Then she reached her apartment, and fished the key out of her mission pack, before inserting it and turning. The locks opened with a series of clicks, and Sayaka pushed the door open.

"I'm home."

Sayaka's apartment was just like it had been before she'd left. The front door still squeaked, and her house sandals were where she'd left them. In the kitchen, Sayaka heard the sound of the water in the sink being turned off. Hiroyo was probably preparing something for dinner later.

Sayaka sighed and felt something in her chest loosen that she hadn't realized she was holding tight. It was a set of sounds that she hadn't realized she'd been missing until that moment. Her eyes began to well up, and she sniffled as she took off her mission pack and let it down in the threshold.

Gods, she was being _such_ a little girl. She needed to stop crying like this if she was going to kill her brother. She needed— she needed—

"Oh Sayaka," said Hiroyo, and she swept Sayaka up in a hug. The sniffles turned into actual sobs as Sayaka held herself stiffly and tried to stop the crying, but Hiroyo kept running her hands over Sayaka's hair like she had when Sayaka was younger and still hurting so much from the loss of her family, and it kept pulling out more tears.

"Sorry," Sayaka murmured after a moment, and pulled away to wipe her eyes. "I'm— I shouldn't be crying so much."

"You got stabbed in the chest and died for sixty seconds," said Hiroyo, and Sayaka saw that she was crying too. "Everyone's allowed to cry after that."

"I d-didn't after, though, in the hospital," said Sayaka, and she swallowed thickly. "I'm better than this."

"Oh silly girl," Hiroyo sighed, and pulled Sayaka close again. "You _nearly died_. Everyone who goes through that needs to cry afterwards, even from relief. Besides, a good cry is better for everyone, even men who are idiots about it."

Sayaka pulled away and roughly wiped at her eyes with her palms. "I have to be stronger. Crying all the time—"

"—doesn't change how strong you are, silly girl," said Hiroyo firmly, tapping Sayaka on the nose. "You saved it for after the fight, didn't you? You finished the job, you got everyone home, and you made sure everything was safe and secure. You did better than most chunin and held yourself together until the fight was well and truly over, so stop being silly and come give me a hug."

Sayaka's lips trembled and she buried her face into Hiroyo's shoulder, hiccuping as she started crying again. It made her feel small and childish and not at all adult, but maybe it was okay, at least here, and besides Hiroyo was right—she _had_ waited until she got home. She hadn't done anything stupid, had kept herself calm even when Naruto had been freaking out, and she'd finished her mission. She had packed all her emotions away properly, and, now that everything was over and she was safe, unpacking them didn't change that she'd done a good job as a ninja.

It took a while, but eventually the tears stopped, and Sayaka was able to take a breath without hiccuping. They moved to the kitchen, where a large fish had been laid out in the sink and was being descaled. Hiroyo let it be, for the moment, and instead started making a pot of tea. Sayaka sat down at the table and held herself tight, sniffling a little but much better now than before. The sound of the water kettle rumbling as it brought the water to a boil echoed in the apartment.

"The Hokage sent round a runner with the report on your mission after the attack," Hiroyo said as she brought over the teapot and two cups.

"I'm sorry," Sayaka said, looking down at the table. "I tried my best, but—"

Hiroyo stopped her. "A-class missing-nin are far beyond what any genin has the right to stand up to, much less manage to wound," said Hiroyo firmly. "The Hokage only had praise for the way Team Seven conducted itself. If this were still the war, you would all be slated for field promotion."

"Really?" Sayaka asked. She looked up at Hiroyo in surprise. "Is that how that works?"

"Of course," said Hiroyo. "I made chunin that way, though I never made it to jounin."

"Why not?" asked Sayaka.

"Go for jounin you mean? Well, maybe as a tokubetsu jounin, specialized in kenjutsu. But the way those missions end up working is very hard for having a family. Back then, I had just gotten married, and my standing in the clan was never high enough to warrant making jounin before having children and settling down. But then the Kyuubi attacked, and my husband…"

She stopped, and Sayaka looked away. Hiroyo had never really talked that much about her husband, or her family in general, and Sayaka always had the impression that Hiroyo had never gotten on well with her clan.

Sayaka reached over and poured Hiroyo a cup of tea, then poured another for herself.

"Thank you," said Hiroyo with a smile. "But well, we tried to help where we could. The jounin and the Fourth Hokage were the only ones with a real hope, but some of us chunin could be distractions at least while we evacuated the civilians. It worked, a little, but we both sustained serious injuries. My husband died, and I was left barren."

Sayaka winced, and held a hand to her abdomen sympathetically. That… that would have hurt. Not just physically, though Sayaka knew what that pain was like. She imagined if Naruto's kunai had ended up slipping lower, and gone into…

Sayaka shivered again, and took a sip of tea. It was annoying, all this about boyfriends and getting married, but she was still a _girl_. Losing that capability was terrifying to think about.

"Well, it's why I ended up here, so it worked out in the end," said Hiroyo with a small smile. She looked up at Sayaka and smiled more broadly. "I'm glad that I'm your guardian, Sayaka."

Sayaka's throat closed up at that, and she looked away.

"…mother," she said after a moment. "It's— that's the word you should use."

Hiroyo blinked in surprise, then put her cup down to put her hands to her lips. "Sayaka?"

"It's— that's what you do anyway," said Sayaka. She twisted her hands together in her lap. "A-and, you know, if it weren't for you, I— you— you know what I mean."

Hiroyo pulled Sayaka into another hug.

"Yes, I do," she said quietly.

* * *

It could never be formalized through adoption papers or anything. The politics would never permit it. And in general, nothing really changed in Sayaka and Hiroyo's relationship. It was odd for Sayaka to call Hiroyo "mother" and neither could get used to it. But they had acknowledged it to each other, and it was enough.

For all that Sayaka had changed since her mission had begun, life, it seemed, hadn't. It had stayed in the pattern she had known for the last several years, with the same routines that she had come to expect. The shopkeepers offered the same wares, the neighbors were still noisy, the way the sun came through her window in the mornings still blinded her. Nobody seemed to really notice that she had been gone for over a month—or rather, they noticed but didn't really seem to care. Everything was the same and life had just… continued.

It helped a lot, for Sayaka at least, and she couldn't imagine Hinata or Naruto were any different. The return to normalcy gave her time to adjust and take a metaphorical breath before continuing on. By the time of their debriefing Team Seven looked like they were feeling much better, something Kakashi accepted with cautious relief.

Their time was spent waiting for Sayaka to get back to speed. She still couldn't train at the pace she wanted, but it was better than nothing, and she was tracking slow improvement so it seemed okay.

There were a few anomalies though—blips in her week that stood out. For one, she did actually end up on a date with Shikamaru within a few days of returning home. It hadn't gone badly but hadn't gone well either. They'd mutually agreed that they had no chance of standing each other in the long term, made the appropriate noises at each other at the end for their parents' sake, and then never made an attempt at another date. Rumors were starting to spread that she'd already made a decision, and Sayaka started replacing her time in the practice ring with time in the library, reading up on clan law and making sure she understood how these contracts worked and what they meant.

She also celebrated her birthday, in a very restrained kind of way. Planning a big celebration wasn't the sort of thing Sayaka enjoyed, if only because it brought up a lot of old memories that she didn't want to think about. Her team gave her a few tokens in celebration, but she didn't want anything, really, except to be given clearance to train, and that was never going to happen, so whatever. It was fine.

It _was_ a little weird to think about being thirteen. The day of her birthday, she woke up and found that being thirteen didn't seem any different from being twelve. It was just another year, and she had a lot more of them to go through before she really hit any major milestones in her life. At the same time, though, being thirteen mattered a lot, because it meant that she needed to "start thinking carefully about her future". Normally, there wasn't much expectation until she turned seventeen, but it was always different with clans, and even then anyone with ambition started worrying about these things when they turned thirteen. Things about their career and getting promoted and specializations in the village where they could win money and prestige. And of course, for clan heirs, it also meant thinking seriously about friendships and alliances, which, well, Sayaka sort of had a leg up on? But she couldn't be complacent there either.

It all sucked the joy out of birthdays, to be perfectly honest, and Sayaka was perfectly fine treating it as nothing more than a chance to have something particularly nice for dinner.

The other anomaly came when Naruto reported that he would need to skip training that day.

"I'm real sorry," he said sheepishly to the gathered team. "It's just, you know, some stuff came up, and I really can't."

"Uh huh," said Kakashi with the least believing expression Sayaka had ever seen, its disdain for Naruto's excuses so powerful it transmitted through fabric. "Stuff, huh."

"Yeah. Can't really talk about it."

That said so many things. Sayaka looked at Hinata, then both of them looked at Kakashi, who looked back at them. The three of them turned in unison back to Naruto.

"Secret bloodline training should involve us," Kakashi said. He reached out and snagged Naruto by the ear before the boy could run away. "Take us to the Hokage, Naruto, and we'll get this all sorted."

"B-but I—!"

"No buts, Naruto," said Hinata, and she took one of his arms and held it close. "W-we're coming with you."

* * *

"You cannot go with him," said Hiruzen firmly, and Sayaka was absolutely sure that Kakashi was about to set him on fire.

"Why not?" asked Kakashi.

"Because it is very dangerous."

"So?"

The Hokage rolled his eyes. "Kakashi-kun, you are not twelve. You know precisely why."

Kakashi's glare intensified. "I am also much better than when I was twelve, _Hokage-sama_."

"And your students?"

"Can watch from a distance until the all-clear is sounded."

"An excellent plan," said Danzo as he walked in and shut the door behind him. "Let us have the scions of Konoha's two most prominent clans in the vicinity when we test to see what happens when we provoke the Kyuubi's containment seal."

Naruto quailed and the rest of Team Seven collectively turned their ire upon Danzo.

"Don't talk about my student that way," Kakashi said acidly.

"Don't talk about the security of our village that way," Danzo retorted, stamping his walking stick against the floor. "There are many ways for this to go terribly wrong, and we would be fools to ignore them. Naruto is a very strong genin, but he is still a genin."

"He would never—"

"I know that," said Danzo, holding up a hand. "He would fight with everything he had to crush the demon fox before it could hurt his friends. But what if he loses?"

The room went quiet.

"We must take measures to ensure Naruto has everything he needs to succeed if it comes to that kind of fight," Danzo said quietly. "To do that, we need as few people in the room as possible. It may simply be the case that Naruto needs a few moments to tame the demon, and if we keep him isolated it will all be fine. But imagine if Hinata was in the room for those few moments. It is unconscionable."

Naruto trembled. His team closed ranks around him.

"I think, Danzo, that you are laying it on a little thick," said Hiruzen with dry disapproval. "These are the worst case scenarios, Kakashi. We are not going to try and have Naruto do anything crazy, like say transform into a miniature Kyuubi. There is a very gradual testing and training plan in place, and in all probability the safeguards Danzo intends are excessive beyond the wildest nightmares we could ever imagine."

Danzo snorted. "Perhaps for _you_."

"Danzo, your mind is an abyssal horror that nearly put Inoichi in the hospital," Hiruzen said flatly.

The tension in the room broke, and everyone had a quiet chuckle at that.

"It is fair to say that I am terribly afraid of what might go wrong," said Danzo after a moment and a sigh. "I think you will not blame me for my fears, and I am old enough to acknowledge that, yes, it is fear that drives me. We all know what happened the last time the fox visited us. I am right to be fearful of what might happen if it comes back."

"It won't," said Naruto fervently, and he pushed past Hinata and Sayaka to stand in front of Danzo. "This is my home. _I won't let it_."

"Very good," said Danzo. He tapped Naruto on the shoulder with his walking stick in acknowledgment. "So then, do we have your approval to go to our training, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi gave Danzo a very wary look. "You're leading the session?"

"Danzo has my full confidence," said Hiruzen. "I understand you two have had your conflicts in the past—"

Kakashi turned back to Hiruzen with an incredulous expression. "'Conflicts' doesn't even _begin_ to cover it, Hokage-sama."

"Be that as it may," said Hiruzen. "His loyalty and service record is unquestionable, and as for his… manic-depressive tendencies—" Danzo snorted, but acknowledged the point "—I'm sure that working with Naruto-kun will help him to overcome both his crippling cynicism and the well-cultivated bitterness of his very old age."

"I feel like I should be offended," said Danzo with a sigh, "but honestly, that was a good insult."

"I practiced in front of a mirror, did I rush it?"

"No, it was very good. I'll owe you a cup of tea later."

"_In any case_, it would be better if someone else was supervising," said Kakashi. "If you won't allow me to—"

"Actually, you're correct," said Danzo. "I have been too close-minded. If you wish to come _alone_, without your team, then it would be perfectly reasonable for you to supervise."

Kakashi blinked, then looked down at Sayaka and Hinata. "What do you think?"

"Do it," said Sayaka immediately. She scowled at Danzo. "Keep Naruto safe."

"I agree," said Hinata. Her expression was the fiercest Kakashi had ever seen her make.

"Very well," said Kakashi. "I'll take you up on your offer then, Danzo."

Danzo nodded. "Very well. Let's be off."

* * *

Naruto shivered in his hospital gown. They had decamped to… somewhere, and he'd had his head put in a sack to keep him from seeing where they'd gone. If he had to guess it was probably ANBU headquarters, because where the fuck else were they going to have a bunch of equipment to hold him down?

Gods.

The room they'd ended up in had seals upon seals, running along the floor and the walls _and_ the ceiling. Naruto was sitting on the icy cold floor in the middle of it while a ring of ANBU stood watch along the edge. Danzo was standing at the far end, and next to him was Kakashi.

"This is called the Hypnotic Stasis Array," Danzo said. "It's one of the most powerful seals known to humanity, rivaled only by the seal on your belly. We tried to modify it for use against the Kyuubi, but as you can see it requires the target to be surrounded in three dimensions. There wasn't time to construct a seal array large enough, but in the end the Fourth managed to find a different solution."

"How's it work?" Naruto asked, teeth chattering.

"The array puts you into a hypnotized state that allows you access to your inner mindscape," said Danzo. "From there, we're not sure what will happen. You will receive an escape token that will allow you to be pulled out of your mindscape, and it will take the form of something familiar to you. Use it to get out if you feel you are about to be overwhelmed."

Naruto nodded. "And uh, what do I do with the fuzzball?"

Danzo sighed. "We're not sure. The seal is unlike anything we've ever seen, and there's no way to know what will happen. Your goal should be reconnaissance. Figure out what it is you're dealing with, then get out so we can talk it over and come up with a plan for later."

"And uh, we have a plan for right _now_, right?" Naruto asked, looking around. "Other than turning on this seal to see what happens?"

There was a moment of silence.

"_Seriously?_"

"This is an unprecedented experiment," said Danzo. "There is no history to pull from. The best we can do is pile on safeguards. All of the ninja in this room are experts in sealing and containment techniques. We will be able to keep you safe, and if the worst should happen we will keep Konoha safe."

Naruto gulped, and wondered if he was about to ask a stupid question. "And uh, what's the worst that can happen?"

"The worst case scenario is probably that you find out the Kyuubi is secretly living in your subconscious, and this seal array ends up forcing you two into immediate contact," said Danzo. "You would have to hit the escape token instantly to survive, and when you fail to do so you'll be consumed by the Kyuubi."

Kakashi turned to fix Danzo with a glare that could probably outright kill a genin.

"That probably won't happen," Danzo continued blithely. "We may find that the demon fox was tragically misunderstood and is now willing to give its chakra to you freely, but this seems unlikely as well. You will probably end up somewhere in between."

Naruto gave Danzo a look of deepest discontent. "Thanks, Geezer. That's real encouraging."

"Well, we all are confident in you, myself most of all," said Danzo. A normal person would have given an encouraging smile, but Danzo wasn't normal and didn't bother. "Do your best."

Naruto took a deep breath, then nodded. "Right. Let's start then."

Danzo raised his walking stick. "ANBU, on my mark."

The assembled group, Kakashi included, all raised their hands and wicked through three handsigns, then pressed their palms against activation sigils.

"Ready."

Chakra glowed. Naruto gulped as he felt himself levitate off the ground. Absurdly, the thought that was most important to him was that whatever ANBU was standing behind him could see his underwear. Did they really need him undressed like this?

"Begin."

* * *

Sayaka and Hinata were playing a game called "snapdragon" in a tea parlor a few streets down from the Hokage's tower. It was a simple card game based off of mahjong that doubled as a chakra control exercise. The gist of it was, each player was given an array of cards as a hand. Each array was to be held floating in front of them in a grid. Cards were laid out between the players, and cards in the hand were matched to the columns of the grid to create sets of combinations based on the layout of the grids at the time they were revealed. The player with the highest set of combinations won, with rules about moving cards around complicating the matter. The maximum number of players per game was four.

"Mind if I join?" asked Kiba.

Sayaka shook her head, examining her hand. Hinata pulled out a chair and signaled to a server to bring another cup, and to refill their pot.

"Strange seeing you two out here playing snapdragon," said Kiba. The teacup arrived promptly, as did the refill. "No training to do?"

"We're waiting for Naruto," said Sayaka. She moved her cards around, pulled one card from her hand to place it on top of one in the grid of exposed faces, then drew from the deck.

"What's Naruto doing?"

"Getting a b-bloodline examination," said Hinata. She tilted her head at her hand. "It is t-taking a long time."

"Y'all seem pretty tense for a bloodline examination," said Kiba. He poured himself a cup of tea and lounged back, watching both girls play.

"It is extremely d-dangerous."

Kiba raised an eyebrow and thought that one through. Nobody had ever really confirmed what exactly Naruto's awakened bloodline actually did. The only consistent part of the story had been that it'd given him enough power to catch and eviscerate an A-rank missing-nin with the epithet "Demon of the Hidden Mist". Nobody just _got_ an epithet like that, which said certain things about what disposed of it.

"Well, in that case, I'll keep you company," said Kiba. He waved down the server.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, lemme get three sets of yakidango," said Kiba. "Two with the soy glaze, one with the strawberry."

"Right away sir."

"Yakidango?" asked Sayaka as Hinata made her move. "Stress eating is bad for you Kiba. They'll go to your hips."

"You'll find me cute anyway," Kiba said dismissively, and drank his tea.

* * *

Naruto was rather displeased that his internal mindscape was a _sewer_.

Well, then again, that wasn't so surprising. Naruto was well aware that he wasn't exactly the brightest kid in class and could have worked harder at learning some of the boring stuff. He was also the kid who thought posing as a naked girl to get a rise, literally, out of Iruka-sensei was hilarious. Even he could admit that he'd probably earned a dirty mindscape.

…he really ought to clean up his act.

"This blows," Naruto said to himself, twirling the escape token around his finger. It'd taken the form of Gama-chan, his lucky toad-shaped wallet, though annoyingly it'd gone all flat when it'd turned into a mental construct.

"I like you better when you're fat," Naruto muttered to his wallet, and squeezed its middle. His _real_ Gama-chan was acceptably plump, though he'd burned a lot buying Hinata-chan ramen that one time in Senfuku at the fancy noodle joint that had mostly been worth it but _wow_ it had been expensive. Still, Zabuza apparently had a hell of a bounty, and Naruto was getting _all_ of it, which was—

—well, okay, he wasn't super happy about that, but he'd buy Hinata-chan something nice and feel less bad about being paid real money to kill real people.

He shivered and sneezed, the smell of blood invading his nose.

It kept _doing that_. He was sure he'd blown his nose a million times but he kept smelling it. That beef back in the Aoyagi mansion had made his stomach turn something awful because of the smell, which was stupid as all hell because, one, beef was fucking _good_, and also two, he wasn't fighting anyone, so why the hell was his body still reacting that way?

"Stupid brain being stupid," Naruto muttered, and kicked at a pipe. His foot connected with a clang that had him hopping in pain.

The moment passed and Naruto sighed, deciding that he should probably figure out what the hell he was doing. The tunnels he was walking through all flowed away from something. It stood to reason that going downstream would send him off to nowhere, but upstream probably ended somewhere. Hopefully that "somewhere" had a fucking map.

So he began the trek, twirling Gama-chan. At first he had been nervous, but now he was bored, and honestly it wasn't that intimidating at this point. He'd been afraid that he'd open his eyes half inside the Kyuubi's belly, but he guessed that Gramps had been right about Danzo. The guy really was a huge paranoid ass.

Naruto turned a corner and winced, shielding his eyes against a sudden brightness. His eyes adjusted, and he walked forward, legs sloshing against the current, and emerged into the light.

It was a massive, cavernous basin, lit inexplicably with vast paper lanterns that buzzed distantly with presumably-giant insects that hopefully would stay far away. Water dripped from the ceiling far above, landing on Naruto's face as he looked up. Pipes of all shapes and sizes wound their way out of the basin, reaching for an invisible sky that lay beyond the lights. It was definitely the hub of his mindscape.

What really caught his attention though was the massive gate at the end, with a single piece of paper on it. Naruto sloshed closer until he could read what it said.

"Seal, huh," he said to himself. "Three guesses what that's for."

Laughter thundered out from the depths of blackness far behind the gate. Naruto gasped, then ducked as wind lashed out of the bars.

"So, you've finally come," said the Kyuubi. Eyes, red in the way that Zabuza's blood had been when it had coated his hands, peered out at Naruto from behind the bars.

"I— I have," said Naruto, and he trembled. What the hell? _This_ was inside him?

"Come closer, boy," the Kyuubi rumbled.

"What for?"

"So that I can see you better, of course," the Kyuubi replied, and Naruto gave it a skeptical look.

"You won't try to hurt me?"

"Does it look like I can?"

That was… fair, Naruto supposed. Carefully, he edged towards the bars.

"Closer, boy, these eyes can't see ants like you so easily, and I want to know what my jailor looks like."

Naruto took three more steps.

Massive, massive claws, as thick as Naruto was tall, swept out from between the bars of the gate, tearing through where Naruto had been standing. The Kyuubi cackled, not like Naruto did when he had pulled a particularly good joke, but something malicious and foul.

"Silly boy," the Kyuubi purred, and this time it moved closer to the light, so that Naruto could see its massive head. He had never really understood just how big the demon fox actually was. "I'd be a fool not to try. At least you're a quick little thing. I'd have fun catching you."

"Can it, Fuzzy," Naruto said, scowling. "You're not getting out of that gate."

"No, no, not today, no," said the Kyuubi, and it sighed with a breath powerful enough that Naruto nearly went flying. "Well, now that we're here, we may as well talk. What do you want, boy? What brings you into your dank and damp little mind?"

"I'm here to figure out how to—" Naruto began, before pausing. What was he really here for anyway? It was supposed to be "reconnaissance", but he hadn't learned anything except that he apparently really was a pervert. But he wanted to protect his friends better, he knew that, and he'd come to terms with the notion that being a jinchuuriki was kind of pointless if you just never did anything with all that power. Well, "come to terms" was maybe a bit strong—willing to give it a shot might be better. So: "I'm here to try and get better at protecting my home."

The Kyuubi cackled again. "The home I was about to destroy? My my, boy, you've got some guts saying those sorts of things to me."

"Yeah, well," said Naruto, sputtering, before catching on an idea and deciding to run with it. "Well, the way I see it, I'm the apartment manager of this place, and you're the tenant! And what's the point of being an apartment manager if you don't collect rent, huh?"

The Kyuubi's laughter was stronger this time, and Naruto contemplated the merits of figuring out meditation techniques that would allow him to bring a facemask full of mint extract next time he came here. The Kyuubi's breath was _rank_.

"Rent? _Rent?_ The boy comes in here demanding _rent_," the Kyuubi chuckled. "Boy, if you're an apartment manager, your apartments are _crap_. If you expect me to pay any meaningful rent, you best give me some _upgrades_."

"Upgrades?" Naruto asked, wary. "What kind of 'upgrades' are we talking about here?"

The Kyuubi huffed.

"Isn't it obvious? Your dank little mind needs some purification, boy, and some offerings wouldn't hurt either."

Naruto blinked. The thing about cleaning up his mindscape, Naruto could probably do—after all, if he was going to date Hinata-chan, he needed to shape up to avoid getting kicked out of the Hyuuga Compound on sight. But…

"Offerings?" asked Naruto. "Hold up, first of all, how the heck am I going to get you _offerings_? You're in my head! I can't bring stuff here! And second of all, what the hell would I even bring?"

"Rice cakes and sake," said Kyuubi immediately. "Preferably fresh sake, bought within three weeks of its pressing. But mochi will do if you cannot get it."

"You expect me to pay _tribute?_" Naruto asked, incredulous. "Listen here, asshole, you tried to burn down my village! I'm not going to venerate you like you're some spirit in a shrine!"

"Then your so-called 'rent' will _not be provided!_" the Kyuubi roared back, and this time Naruto really did go tumbling. The force was so great that he found himself slammed up against the far wall. "I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Great Nine-tailed Demon Fox! The world has trembled at my gaze for millennia! YOU are a _child,_ barely older than a decade! I have lived countless lifetimes, and I will not be insulted like _that_!"

The wind stopped, and Naruto caught a pipe as he fell. It brought him to enough of a stop that he could land gently on top of the water.

"Say I do bring you offerings," said Naruto, wiping away a trickle of blood where he'd bit his lip. This was not going well. "How would I even do it? This is still a mindscape, and I can't shove a jar of sake into my brain."

The Kyuubi chuckled. "I have my ways. I can make it happen, even constrained as I am by this seal, so long as you agree."

Naruto considered. If he agreed, he might find himself walking into a trap, but on the other hand it seemed pretty clear that he'd screwed up his chance to negotiate with the demon fox. He should have kept his mouth shut, ugh.

"I'll consider it, but I can work on, ugh, 'upgrading' my mindscaping first," Naruto tried. "Pay me some rent for that, and we'll talk about offerings."

"No," said the Kyuubi. "You were going to improve this cesspool anyway. With insolence like yours, I'll not give a drop of rent unless you can do better."

Fuck, what an asshole. "Gods above, fine then you—" said Naruto, and the Kyuubi grinned, and Naruto knew instantly he'd made a huge mistake.

"Excellent," said the Kyuubi, teeth bared as Naruto tried to back away, but the chakra surged again, faster than before. Naruto screamed and—

—he opened his eyes with a gasp, body crackling with red flame as the ANBU around him drew scrolls from pouches and Kakashi raised his hands, chakra crackling from build-up. His forehead protector had been pulled back, revealing a red iris swirling with black tomoe.

"Naruto," Kakashi said calmly. "How's it going, Naruto?"

"I'm fine," Naruto rasped, and he raised his hands to his throat. "I sound weird."

"You look pretty weird," said Kakashi, chakra still live on his fingers.

Naruto looked at his hands, which had gained claws at the end. His teeth poked at the inside of his mouth, and his hair felt like it had all risen up off the top of his head. And of course, he also appeared to be literally on fire.

"Can you turn it off?" Kakashi asked conversationally. "We uh, would like to take a look at you."

"I'll try," Naruto said. The whole "being on fire" thing didn't seem to be burning his clothes, which was weird, but also probably meant that nobody wanted to touch him at the moment. So Naruto closed his eyes and tried to focus on what he was feeling.

…it felt _really good_, to be honest. Like he could jump over mountains and carve open valleys. As if with one stroke of his tails, he could—

—what the _fuck _was _that thought_. He did _not_ have any fucking tails.

Right, Naruto needed to shut this down. The chakra blazing through him was centered in his abdomen, where his usual chakra well was. If he just… grabbed it and…

The chakra stopped, shoved into a little ball right behind his navel, and Naruto gasped again as he fell to the ground, landing on all fours. He looked at his hands. The nails were human again.

There was a pause, then a collective sigh of relief. Kakashi pulled his headband down again.

"In retrospect," Danzo said. "The Sharingan would have been an important tool to have, which I overlooked." He turned and bowed shallowly at Kakashi. "Thank you, Hatake-san. I was wrong to exclude you."

Kakashi looked over at the old ninja dryly. "The Sharingan had nothing to do with it. Naruto was in control the whole time."

"Oh, yes, that's true," said Danzo, almost absentmindedly. His gaze was now fixed on Naruto, who was being examined by one of the ANBU who was also a medic. "I only meant as a backup."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, turning back to Naruto and walking up to him.

"Well, Naruto, you sure did give us a scare, but I guess it worked out," he said, patting Naruto on the head and giving him a smile. "You didn't do anything stupid in there did you?"

Naruto winced.

"About that."

* * *

"You did _what?!_"

Naruto winced and held his ears from where he was sitting on the hospital bed. "Sayaka, don't shout."

"_You cut a deal with the Kyuubi!" _Sayaka raged. "You _idiot_ I will shout AS MUCH AS I WANT."

"Man it is really good that we soundproofed this hospital room," one of the ANBU commented idly, looking around.

"Okay look, I know it was a mistake, but hear me out—"

"I will _not hear you out!"_ Sayaka yelled, before grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "You—"

"Alright, Sayaka, that's enough," said Kakashi. He grabbed Sayaka by the lapel and pulled her back. "We're all well aware of how stupid Naruto is at this point."

Naruto cringed further, and rubbed unconsciously at the spiraling foxtails that adorned his chest. The seal—if it even could be called a seal—had appeared as soon as he'd turned off the Kyuubi's chakra. It was proof positive of his bad life decisions.

Naruto looked over at Hinata, who had been utterly silent the entire time. She was sitting quietly, staring down at her hands, which were clenched tightly in her lap.

"Ne, Hinata-chan," Naruto said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Hinata looked up at him, eyes shimmering, then looked down again. She took a long breath, then reached out and took Naruto's hand.

"Please be more careful," Hinata said quietly.

Naruto felt his heart collapse in horrified guilt. What the hell was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just— why couldn't he just be _better_? Seeing Hinata-chan like this because of his screwups was like getting shoved underwater and held down as he drowned. He was _such an idiot_.

"I will," Naruto said. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Hinata squeezed his hand tightly.

"I'll… I'll think harder next time," Naruto continued. He swallowed thickly.

There was a knock on the door, and Hinata let go as the Hokage came in, Danzo following behind like a grumpy specter.

"Well, Naruto, you've certainly done it this time," Hiruzen sighed.

"Sorry, Gramps," Naruto said quietly, looking down at the floor.

Hiruzen sighed again, tucking his hands behind his back, and shook his head. "Naruto, my son, your hot head has firmly landed you in hot water. I had hoped that one day you'd learn your lesson about jumping without looking, but I had also hoped it wouldn't be like this."

"I know," said Naruto. He looked miserably over at Hinata before looking back up at the Hokage. "I screwed up, Gramps. No excuses."

Hiruzen sighed a third time. "Well, let's not dwell on it too much. I have with me some research that I have been doing for the last several years using the Hokage's private archives. Records are sparse, but despite that I have learned a few interesting things."

He pulled a long sheaf of papers out of his sleeve and swatted Naruto several times to make him scoot over, then unrolled them out onto the hospital bed.

The first page was a shock to everyone. It depicted a human being, tied down to a slab of rock, being disemboweled by a priest wearing a ceremonial headdress. It was a painting, stylized, and its brush was unable to depict the full horror. But the eyes of the priest stared out from the page, boring into Naruto with irises of crimson and pupils turned to slits.

Naruto recoiled. Was that— did he look like that?

"What I'm about to say doesn't leave this room," Hiruzen said, seeming not to notice Naruto's reaction. "It's mostly speculative, but it still could have tremendous implications."

He looked around, giving everyone a look and making sure they took him seriously. Satisfied, he continued:

"What we know about the mark on Naruto's chest is very limited and rife with embellishment and bias. The accounts I can find are written by priests of the Fire Temple, who have a vested interest in stamping out what they're writing about."

"According to them, before the clans we know now were founded, when the Hyuuga and the Uchiha had not yet received their names, there were cults scattered throughout the land that stood in devotion to the heathen deities that ruled over the five elements. Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and the great Void, from which stems Lightning. In this ancient time, the heathen gods did as they pleased, some wandering the earth and others presiding over their own kingdoms. Some were kind, and others were cruel, but all ruled with great and terrible power."

"It is said that the first practitioner of ninjutsu, the source of all ninja arts, was the Sage of the Six Paths. This is not true. The truth is that the Sage was but one of many who could control and direct their chakra. Of these Practitioners, the most powerful were undoubtedly those who served the nine Demon Lords."

Hiruzen turned the page over to reveal the Kyuubi in all its monstrous glory, tails ringed around it as it towered over mountains and rows upon rows of worshippers pressed their heads the ground before its feet. Incandescent fire scorched the earth, boiled rivers, and cracked the sky with its fury, but left the Kyuubi's followers untouched.

"One of these lords was the great Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Nine-tailed Demon Fox, Lord and Master of Fire," Hiruzen continued. "Those who pledged their eternal service to him were bestowed the privilege to borrow their lord's fire, a flame so hot and hungry it could burn for thirty days and thirty nights. Provided, of course, they paid a price."

Hiruzen turned the page again, and the image this time was simply the mark that had appeared on Naruto's chest. Nine fox tails, curling in a circle, with a triangle pointing downwards in the center, long and sharp like a fang.

"This was the mark that identified any who had made such a pledge," said Hiruzen. "As you can see, it is identical to the one Naruto now bears."

The room was filled with dead silence.

"Well," said Kakashi at length. "That… could be worse, I suppose."

His entire team boggled at him.

"How could this get worse?" Sayaka asked with incredulity. "Naruto— if the stories are real, Naruto's just pledged himself to a demon!"

"Sure, but it _is_ a pledge of _service_," Kakashi pointed out. "It seems to tell us that the Kyuubi needs Naruto to do things _for it_. If the Kyuubi could break out or take over Naruto's mind, then why would it make a sigil for service?"

The room contemplated this. That made quite a lot of sense, if they were realistic about it. But:

"What does it want from me though?" asked Naruto. He rubbed the sigil uncomfortably. "I— it said that it wanted sake and rice cakes, and that I needed to 'purify my mind', but that can't be it right? The Kyuubi's got to have other stuff it wants."

"Who can say," said Hiruzen. He slid his pipe out from his sleeve and went to light it, before remembering that he wasn't allowed to smoke in the hospital and sliding it back with a sigh. "In the legends, the Kyuubi is never dangerous solely for its power. What makes it so dangerous is its cunning and its guile."

Danzo grunted. "For once, appeasement may be the best course of action."

Hiruzen glanced over at the clock. It was just turning noon.

"Perhaps lunch would be appropriate."


	10. Chapter 10

Sayaka opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom. She groaned and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. It was the worst part of summer, where it was far too humid and far too hot. There was no respite from the oppressive mugginess, even stripped down to as little clothing as she could manage and lying on the floor with only a thin sheet and her pillow. She'd barely gotten any sleep.

She wondered idly if Naruto had slept any better. Since that awkward lunch with the Hokage in the hospital cafeteria, Naruto had been secreted away into dungeons unknown, deep below the Hokage's tower. Hinata hadn't been amused when Kakashi suggested that at least it was probably nice and cool down there.

At least Naruto was finally coming back. Apparently he was being kept for observation overnight after some final experiment they'd run on his seal, which wasn't worrying at all, but he was otherwise cleared for duty with no restrictions. It would be good to finally see him after that idiotic stunt he'd pulled with the Kyuubi.

Team training that day was going to be interesting too. Kakashi had mentioned that they would be doing a combat exercise with another team. It was especially interesting because Naruto's "bloodline" was apparently cleared for action around friendly ninja. What that meant, exactly, Sayaka had no idea, and based on what had happened to Zabuza it couldn't actually mean that everything was fine. But it _did_ mean that something useful had happened in that basement, thank the gods, so Sayaka would take it. In fact, if it weren't for the damn heat she'd even be excited to see what Naruto was capable of now.

As it was, Sayaka felt like death.

With another groan, Sayaka pushed herself upright to grab a change of clothes and go shower. She turned the water cold enough nearly to make her teeth chatter, dried her hair with a flicker of fire chakra, then brushed her teeth. Hiroyo was cooking tamagoyaki when Sayaka padded out into the kitchen, tying on her kunai holster in the doorway before yawning and walking the rest of the way in.

"Morning," Sayaka mumbled as she crossed to the icebox.

"Good morning," said Hiroyo, disgustingly cheerful. "Did you sleep well?"

"No," said Sayaka. They surely were not out of iced coffee?

"The heat?"

"Yes. Do we not have any canned coffee?"

"Sayaka, you shouldn't drink so much of that," Hiroyo scolded. "It's bad for you, it'll stunt your growth."

"I'm pretty sure that isn't real."

"Well it has lots of sugar, and that's bad for you too."

Sayaka looked down at her belly and poked it experimentally.

"I think I'll be fine," she said, and closed the refrigerator door. "Combat training today, so I might want the sugar anyway."

"Combat training?" Hiroyo asked. She turned an omelette out onto a plate to cool. "You've been cleared for action?"

"I've _been_ cleared," Sayaka said. She walked over to the pantry door and opened it to squint into its depths. Maybe there were some cans in the back? "I'm so behind on my conditioning though, and sensei didn't want us taking missions until I was ready."

"Ah, well, that's frustrating," said Hiroyo. The pan sizzled as she poured in new egg mixture for another omelette. "How has Hinata been about it?"

"She's worried about Naruto," said Sayaka. Hmm, those cans looked promising. She shifted a sack of beans to look more closely.

"Understandable."

Damn it, this was just canned congee porridge. "Yeah, but he's still a moron," said Sayaka as she turned the can over in her hand. Thinking about it, she did like the stuff. "Can I have some of the canned porridge for breakfast?"

"No, I already made some fresh," said Hiroyo. "Besides, the canned stuff _definitely_ is bad for you."

That was fair. It was really a dessert food, and the last time Hiroyo had made dessert congee she'd put in half a mug's worth of sugar to get it half as sweet as the canned junk.

"Well we're out of canned coffee," said Sayaka with a sigh. "I'm going to go down and buy some more at the store."

"Alright, but get the low sugar kind," said Hiroyo. "And pick up another carton of eggs while you're there."

"Alright."

The street outside was already busy. The sun was only just starting to light up the horizon as Sayaka climbed out of the window in her stairwell and let herself fall to the alleyway below. The convenience store down the way was a twenty-four-hour deal that was run by a pair of retired ninja who had never gotten out of the habit of sleeping in shifts.

"Morning Sacchan," said Shoyu from behind the counter as Sayaka pushed open the door of the store. It had always been mystifying to her why the man had introduced himself as soy sauce for the last eight years.

"Morning Shoyu-san," said Sayaka, bobbing perfunctorily as she picked up a basket and made her way to the back.

The drinks case in the back of the shop was its usual multicolored array of beverages next to the icebox of ice creams and other frozen things. The coffee was, as always, between the beer and shochu to the left and the tea and sodas to the right. Sayaka yawned and peered at the many cans, looking for the scowling sumo wrestler that adorned the cans of Yokozuna Coffee—Top of the Ranks since the First Hokage!—and its different varieties of coffee-related beverages.

There was Yokoccino, Yokospresso, Yokolatte, Yokozuna Mountain Tengu, and many more. Sayaka normally got Yokozuna Black, even though most kids her age drank Yokofrappe, if they drank canned coffee at all. Yokofrappe was just too sweet, and Sayaka avoided it even without Hiroyo's urging. Even so, Yokozuna Black was still lightly sweetened, and with a sigh Sayaka reached out for Yokozuna Midnight, the one kind that really had no sugar at all in the can. She debated for a moment maybe getting Yokozuna Twilight instead, which at least had some milk in it, but it wasn't really that good and had a weird aftertaste. Yokozuna Midnight at least was just straight coffee flavor, and it came in six-pack boxes.

Sayaka grabbed a box of Yokozuna Midnight and placed it in her basket, then made her way over to the case of fresh produce, milk, and eggs. The egg brand that Hiroyo liked was out, it seemed, but there were still plenty of eggs from Hiroyo's backup brand so Sayaka picked up a dozen of those. There were also little cartons full of cherry tomatoes available, which Sayaka grabbed two of.

Mmm. Tomatoes.

"Got a mission today, Saya-chan?" asked Tobiko as he tied on his apron behind the counter.

"Just some training," said Sayaka, shaking her head.

"It's always training with you, girl," said Shoyu. He poked Tobiko in the back with his magazine. "Isn't it always training, Tokkun?"

"It is," said Tobiko. He began to add up Sayaka's purchases. "At least she eats healthy, Sho-chan, unlike you."

"Bah I eat plenty good," said Shoyu. He flicked his magazine back open with a grunt. "You just can't cook veggies to save your life."

"I can totally cook vegetables, Sho-chan," said Tobiko. He checked the price of the tomatoes and turned back to Sayaka. "That'll be eight hundred and twenty-seven ryo, Saya-chan."

Sayaka fumbled in her pockets for her wallet and pulled out nine hundred ryo in bills. "Here."

"I haven't had any good vegetables from you in _years_, Tokkun," said Shoyu with a snort. "What was that thing you did last night with the carrots?"

"You asked for _seconds,_ Sho-chan," said Tobiko, rolling his eyes as he fished out Sayaka's change from the moneybox and recorded the exchange into the store's sales ledger. "If you didn't like them then why did you ask for more?"

"'Cause I hadn't eaten any vegetables all of last week," said Shoyu. "I gotta eat _some_, even if curry buns are the best."

"A ninja can't live off just curry buns," said Tobiko, rolling his eyes again while bagging the goods. "Though this morning's batch is pretty good, do you want one Saya-chan?"

Sayaka shook her head. "Nah, Hiroyo's already finished cooking."

"Ah, too bad."

"And anyway, you _can_ live off just curry buns, since we started adding carrots and peas to them," said Shoyu. "There's potatoes in there too, for a little extra energy."

Sayaka waved goodbye as the two started bickering over whether a curry bun was a meal or a snack, then headed back upstairs. As she ascended the steps, Sayaka switched the bags to her off hand and broke into the box of coffee to crack open a can and begin sipping it as she walked. The dark black liquid hit her tongue with a whipcrack of bitterness that made her lips pucker and a shiver race up her spine.

Blegh. Why did she drink this stuff?

Then the electric rush of caffeine hitting her bloodstream reminded her. Sayaka shivered again and thought of the group training happening later and how she'd get a chance to see what Naruto was capable of. She felt her lips curl into a grin and took a sip of coffee.

"I'm back," Sayaka called as she pushed open the door to her apartment, balancing the can on the top of her head with her chakra. "I got some tomatoes too."

"Alright," said Hiroyo. "Come eat, breakfast is ready."

Sayaka dropped the coffee and eggs into the icebox, then put the tomatoes out on the counter. The secret to delicious tomatoes was to keep them at room temperature and eat them quickly, but she wouldn't have them for breakfast today.

"You're looking better," said Hiroyo, amused. "You're not going to get addicted to that stuff are you?"

"It'd be bad for missions, but this is a special case," said Sayaka as she sat down across from Hiroyo, then downed the can. "Last night was terrible."

"It's that time of year," said Hiroyo with a helpless shrug. "I'll make some barley tea later, but let's eat and you can go to your team meeting. Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu."

* * *

Kakashi was already present and leaning up against the wall looking bored when Sayaka turned up at the Hokage's tower. They would be meeting Naruto in a secure briefing room, but genin didn't have clearance to go in without an escort. Kakashi would be escorting them, and the intent was that they would meet outside the secure section of the tower before heading in when the time was right. Sayaka had made an effort to be a little early.

"Good morning, sensei," said Sayaka. Kakashi nodded at her, hands tucked lightly into his pockets and looking very bored indeed. "Did you sleep poorly?"

Kakashi huffed. "Weather's been terrible lately. Maybe if it rained, the humidity would go down."

"Don't you know a jutsu to suck the water out of the air?"

"You can, but doing it indoors is a little risky," said Kakashi. "You're basically making a rain cloud in your apartment."

Sayaka mulled that over.

"That would be a problem."

"Yep."

Sayaka glanced up at the clock, then looked back to Kakashi.

"I think I want to buy new clothes," said Sayaka. She toyed with the edges of her skirt. "I liked the leggings they gave us in Senfuku."

Kakashi looked over at her again and flicked his eyes across her profile. "Not satisfied with your current look?"

Sayaka quirked her lips thoughtfully. "It's kind of cutesy, don't you think?"

"A little," said Kakashi. "It's useful for a ninja to be cute, though, especially girls."

"Not boys?"

"Well, you can do some things with that, but it's usually harder," said Kakashi. He scratched his chin. "People expect boys to be more, you know."

Sayaka wrinkled her nose. She did, in fact, know from kunoichi lessons what Kakashi was talking about. "Does it take a lot of work to make a boy look cute?"

"Well, cute really means harmless, right?" said Kakashi. "The thing to do is to make the boy look cuddly. When I was eight or nine, I got sent on a surveillance mission in enemy territory. My team leader was a seventeen-year-old chunin who thought I was the cutest little ninja she'd ever seen. She made me look like a kid who was wearing his older brother's hand me downs and handed me a lollipop to nibble on while gathering the intel."

He paused, and Sayaka took a moment to imagine Kakashi as a small boy that was a full head shorter than her and waving a lollipop. It was very hard to imagine.

"But you know, that took more effort to pull off," Kakashi continued. "We had to source the clothes special and without the lollipop it might not have quite worked. For that mission, if I'd been a girl, the enemy would probably not have noticed."

Sayaka frowned. "That just makes me want new clothes more."

"Ah," said Kakashi. He shrugged. "Well, it's up to you, but don't throw away what you have now. We'll want the clothing options if we end up doing infiltration work."

Sayaka grunted and fell silent, looking down at the floor and scuffing it with her toe. To be honest, she'd never really experienced the kind of casual dismissal that Kakashi was talking about. It was almost impossible in Konoha—everyone knew "Uchiha-hime" after all. In Senfuku, everyone had known her status and treated her like the heir to a feared—if now weakened—clan. The treatment Kakashi was talking about could only really be expected for clanless kunoichi who wouldn't be introduced with the title "Lady", something that would only happen to Sayaka if she was working undercover, which at least until now Team 7 hadn't done.

But those missions would happen eventually, and the idea of being treated as "just a little girl" filled Sayaka with bitter, spiteful anger. She remembered her kunoichi lessons and how flower arrangements were essential kunoichi skills.

Fine. Maybe they were. Maybe for other girls, who didn't have a family to avenge. But not for her. Sayaka wasn't "just a little girl" and she wasn't going to be another housewife and she had no plans of being a "beautiful, elegant kunoichi" or whatever such nonsense. She had things she needed to accomplish, things for herself and for her clan. She was a ninja and it galled her that this was somehow surprising to people.

Well whatever. She would go shopping later. There were ways to look nice and not be cutesy, and if it _really_ came down to it she would ask Sakura and Ino for help. But she was going to ditch the skirt.

"Um, am I late?"

Sayaka blinked and looked up at Hinata, then shook her head. "We're both very early."

"Ah," said Hinata. She tapped her fingers together, looking down at the floor, then looked back up. "T-there are no changes, s-sensei?"

"Nope," said Kakashi. He glanced up at the clock again. "Still supposed to be coming out in twenty minutes."

Sayaka sighed. They were ridiculously early. "We're all idiots."

"Well, we have a fourth idiot we're picking up, so it's not that surprising," said Kakashi dryly. "We shouldn't make it a habit though, or we'll get a nickname."

"Team Moron?" asked Sayaka, smiling a little.

"Oh gods, I hope not," said Kakashi.

"It would be v-very unfortunate," said Hinata, smiling as well. "Shall we g-go get some tea?"

"Sure," said Kakashi, and he pushed himself off the wall. "The break room is this way."

* * *

It was far too hot for tea, but the break room had an icebox too, and they each filled a cup with ice and then filled it halfway with hot tea to chill it down. They drank in silence for a few minutes.

"Ah, Hatake-senpai, it's been a while," said a passing ninja. "Is this your genin team?"

"Morio-san," said Kakashi, raising his cup in salute. "We're waiting on our third member, but yes this is my team. Sayaka, Hinata, this is Tezuka Morio, one of my subordinates from the war."

Sayaka and Hinata stood to bow. "Morio-senpai," they said. "Good morning."

"Morning girls," said Morio, waving with his cup of tea as they sat back down. He was older than Kakashi, somewhere in his mid-thirties, stubbled and wearing leather gloves that were worn smooth across the palms and the gap between the thumb and forefinger. The backs were plated with steel and, unlike the typical ninja's, Morio's gloves fully enclosed his hands and wrists. "Figures you get the big clans' kids, Hatake-senpai."

Kakashi shrugged. "I doubt any favoritism was involved. I have the only friendly Sharingan in the village, and Hinata and Sayaka were always going to be paired together as genin."

"Sure, fair enough," said Morio easily. He rubbed the stubble on his chin. "What have you been up to since we last got a chance to talk?"

"Oh, this and that," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea. "You've heard about my team's last mission, I assume? Everyone seems to have."

"Ah, well, that's a matter of course," said Morio. "Barge escort can get kind of dull sometimes, but it's a hell of a lot better than getting surprised by _Zabuza_."

"Now now, I'm sure you'd have done well," said Kakashi. "We fought his squad once didn't we? I remember you putting up a good fight."

Sayaka felt her eyebrows jump and struggled to maintain a placid expression. Their sensei's history was always very blurred.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration," said Morio, snorting. "I remember a lot more panic and a lot more running around until the Fourth came sailing in."

"Ah, well, maybe I have my memories crossed."

Morio snorted. "Like you'd ever forget anything."

Kakashi smiled cheerfully and said nothing.

"What happened was," said Morio as he turned to Sayaka and Hinata, "we were trying to fight our way up out of a valley. There was a river at the bottom, so the Kiri-nin of course wanted us down there so they could kill us. Zabuza was at the top of the ridge and we couldn't get past him, while the Kiri-nin in the river were starting to wear us down. Hatake-senpai held the squad together as we made a push for a cliff that Zabuza couldn't guard properly without being too exposed to our weapons specialist, but then the weapons specialist took a water cannon in the head and went down. Things got a bit chaotic then, but the Fourth appeared in that yellow flash of his and we managed to make it out okay."

"Like I said, you put up a good fight in that one," said Kakashi. His tea had mysteriously lost some fluid while Morio had been talking. "In fact, I remember you being the reason we held our own, since you knew more water-based ninjutsu than the rest of us at the time."

"Tch, it was a team effort then," said Morio, rolling his eyes. "We had a good team leader, even if he was a thirteen-year-old kid who'd only made jounin a year ago."

Sayaka and Hinata looked over at their sensei in surprise. That certainly explained why someone _older_ than Kakashi was calling him "senpai".

Kakashi rolled his eye and didn't comment. "I never understood why you went for Tokubetsu Jounin. You could have been a full jounin by now."

"I'm a water ninjutsu specialist, not someone who can lead a team into combat," said Morio. He folded his arms. "I'm chunin-class in everything else, after all."

"Well, if you insist," said Kakashi with a shrug and a sigh. "Still, the water gates into the Village can't possibly need that many ninja to man, can they?"

"I'm actually leading that guard force now," said Morio, looking a little smug. "Just got promoted up from guard captain of Gate Three."

"Oh," said Kakashi, smiling through his mask. "Well, my mistake then, congratulations."

"Thanks."

"Excuse me, but what does that mean?" asked Sayaka, because she was starting to get lost and Hinata would never interrupt.

"Oh, right, so you remember that we had the D-rank to sort the fish," said Kakashi. "I mentioned afterwards that the barges are escorted in from outside the village."

Sayaka nodded. She remembered that, and also remembered that over-land transport wasn't feasible for a city as large as Konoha.

"Well before it can actually enter the city, it has to be inspected," said Kakashi. "Then—well, Morio-san should explain. He'll know it better than me."

Sayaka and Hinata turned to Morio, who thought for a moment before starting. "Well, Konoha's walls are pretty far out, but the village expanded away from the Hokage Mountain for, well, pretty obvious reasons."

The genin nodded. While the Hokage Mountain and its five massive carved faces certainly was an impressive strongpoint for defense, it certainly was not anyone's idea of an obvious direction to be developing land. The mountain's imposing size and impressively dense rock made it an excellent barrier, but also made defending anything on the opposite side of it very difficult without a tremendous amount of investment. Far easier to just go the other direction, until eventually the Kokkyo River, which had once been one of Konoha's natural borders, was densely settled on both sides.

"Once the wall went up, we needed a way to make sure that we didn't have infiltrators just slide in from the river," continued Morio. "A water gate is pretty standard for these things. It's just a metal grate where the spacing is wide enough not to inhibit the water flow but narrow enough that you can't slide anyone, or anything, in to get at the gate cranks. It's a bit of an engineering task and you have to spend a lot of time keeping the gate clear of debris. It gets especially bad during the rains, and you actually can't send genin in, in case they drown."

Sayaka thought for a moment, then nodded. It made sense—the rivers usually ran high and muddy during the rains, and if you needed to dive underwater to clean the grates then you wouldn't be able to see and might get hit by something.

"You'd want someone who knew their way around water jutsu," said Sayaka.

"And who can keep calm if things go wrong," said Morio. "Combat experience usually helps."

"It's a pretty important specialization," said Kakashi. He tossed his cup over into the bin and stood up. "Konoha has a lot of specializations like that you don't notice right away. We'll have to talk about it later though, we have to get going. Morio, good catching up."

A glance at the clock told them they had only a few minutes until Naruto was supposed to be released from the Hokage's care.

"Ah, then I'll leave you to it," said Morio with a nod. "Good catching up, Hatake-senpai, and good to meet you Hinata, Sayaka."

Hinata and Sayaka stood and bowed again before Team 7 left the breakroom. Morio returned the bow and waved them goodbye.

"Were you r-really a jounin when you were our age, s-sensei?" asked Hinata.

Kakashi hummed. "I was."

"That is a-awfully young."

Kakashi shrugged. "It was a battlefield promotion. I was a chunin and my team got tasked with destroying an enemy supply depot. We succeeded, though we lost two KIA and three wounded when we found out our intel was bad and they actually had twelve ninja guarding the depot. I was the only one without a scratch, but it was only because I snuck around the back and detonated the charges while my team was engaged. The explosion threw the enemy off their game, and I was able to flank them and kill six before the rest of my team finished off the survivors. Everyone on the team was very good at their job, but I was the only one to get promoted."

Sayaka and Hinata looked up at their teacher, shocked at the sudden disclosure of his childhood history. He sighed and reached out to pat them both on the head.

"Don't get too impressed," he said seriously. "I shouldn't have been promoted."

"What?" asked Sayaka. "But, you killed—"

"Kills aren't meaningful for promotion to jounin," said Kakashi, shooing his genin along. "That's fine for a tokubetsu jounin, maybe, but jounin need to lead teams."

He stopped speaking for a moment, and Sayaka suddenly had the sense that they had wandered into dangerous waters with their sensei. She glanced back, and the face Kakashi was making was unlike anything she'd ever seen him make before. It was almost like regret? As if he should have failed his mission instead. But that didn't make any sense.

"Well anyway, it looks like we're just in time," said Kakashi, his face clearing into a cheerful smile. "Come along ducklings, I'll need to sign you in to the secure section."

Sayaka turned Kakashi's expression over in her mind as they signed in and thumb stamped a little seal that would immobilize them if they did anything stupid. The seal was attached to the skin on the inside of the wrist, but Sayaka didn't really pay that much attention to it. She was too occupied by the look of regret.

Kakashi… had succeeded. His mission had been completed, and he'd been able to create a tactical opportunity to neutralize the enemy. She couldn't imagine why he would think he had done a bad job, but she wondered, also, about what she would have done if she'd been in the same position. Could she have done it if Hinata and Naruto had been on the mission?

Probably not.

That made her pause. She'd known Hinata and Naruto since she was nine. It had been _three years_ since they'd become friends. For that matter, it occurred to Sayaka that they were the only people her age she was really close to. In her defense, most people were very annoying. Asking her to be friends with those people was like asking Naruto to put up with being vegetarian. It just wasn't going to happen.

Well, she supposed, there was Kiba, but that didn't really compare. They'd only really just met a few weeks ago, and there'd been a long gap in the middle where they hadn't been able to talk much to each other. Thinking about him did funny things to her, but it… it wasn't the same.

The whole train of thought made Sayaka very uncomfortable, and she was glad to be distracted when the three of them reached the briefing room. Kakashi knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened to Naruto rocketing into them with a shout of joyful laughter. In the background, Danzo was sighing and shaking his head while the Hokage was chuckling. Two ANBU guards stood impassively in the background, looking for all the world like statues, and a small set of teacups and a thermos stood in the center of the conference table.

"It's over!" Naruto crowed as Kakashi herded his genin into the room and shut the door. "Finally! It's been a week! _A week!_"

"Not even a chance to go up for ramen?" asked Kakashi.

"No! Grumpyface over there was all like 'oh it's a security risk' and 'what if someone sees you' so one of the ANBU brought in takeout from Ichiraku but everyone knows it's not as good," said Naruto, bouncing and waving his arms in indignation at Danzo's rough treatment. "We spent the whole week _meditating_ and then I couldn't even get good ramen! It was cruel!"

"Meditation's good for you, moron," said Sayaka. She rolled her eyes and flicked him on the forehead. "Your chakra control is better now, right?"

"Yeah but it'd have been _even better_ if I got ramen afterwards!"

Sayaka rolled her eyes again and Hinata laughed at Naruto's antics. It was good to have the team together again.

"D-did you do anything else?" Hinata asked.

"Well, I guess we did more than meditation," said Naruto, folding his arms and putting on a serious thinking expression. "Turns out Fuzzy's chakra definitely lights everything on fire unless I tell it not to, so that was kind of fun. I really understand why Sayaka likes to do it to scarecrows when she's upset at Kakashi-sensei."

Sayaka blanched. "Don't say that stuff around the Hokage, moron!"

"Eh, I bet he already knows," said Naruto, flapping his hands dismissively. "You knew, right gramps?"

"No," said Hiruzen, chuckling again, "but I certainly encourage it. Goodness knows that Kakashi-kun can be frustrating."

"You wound me, Hokage-sama," said Kakashi blandly.

"Anyway anyway, other than lighting stuff on fire, the chakra's also really good for grabbing stuff," said Naruto. "Like, watch this!"

Naruto turned and flicked his hand out to grab a teacup off the table. There was a rush of something almost sickly that made Sayaka flinch backwards as a tendril of red chakra lashed out, grabbing the teacup before reeling it back with a flick. The chakra disappeared, leaving the teacup to flip through the air before Naruto caught it.

"See? It's super— ow hot hot hot—!" Naruto yelped, juggling the teacup for a moment before dropping it onto the table, where it wobbled for a moment before coming to rest.

"Naruto-kun, what have we discussed about using that around friendly ninja without warning?" asked the Hokage gravely.

"Ara, sorry, sorry," said Naruto, clasping his hands in supplication and bowing. Sayaka glanced at Hinata and saw the other girl had flinched just as bad as Sayaka had. "Fuzzy's chakra always feels gross like that, but I guess I'm used to it now."

"It's f-fine, Naruto-kun," said Hinata. She took a deep breath, then smiled encouragingly. "You've r-really learned a lot."

"Yeah! I'll show you today, Hinata-chan, it'll be super cool!"

"What are the major restrictions on using his abilities?" Kakashi asked, looking over to Danzo and the Hokage.

"We haven't been able to recreate the demonic state Naruto entered in your engagement with Zabuza," said Danzo.

"And we won't be attempting it," said the Hokage. A glance, unnoticed by the genin but caught by Kakashi, flicked between the Hokage and Danzo. Interesting.

"No we will not," said Danzo, nodding. "Still, our best guess is that it is awakened by extreme anger or distress. As long as his teammates aren't hurt, it seems unlikely to come up again."

"More generally, the Kyuubi's chakra _is_ dangerous to other ninja, so Naruto is not to use it directly against fellow Konoha shinobi in a spar," said the Hokage. "At least, not until he has better control over it. For now, it is plenty useful for deflecting projectiles and moving quickly across the battlefield. It is also effective as a fire jutsu, and can enhance speed and strength in the usual way."

"Not that interesting a bloodline ability, it seems," said Kakashi idly. "People will wonder how Naruto managed to kill Zabuza."

"Oh, you'll want to cite the Hirata clan if anyone asks," said the Hokage. "As well as the Naoi clan. Both of them had a bloodline that induced a hypnotic, extremely powerful state in great emotional distress, but were somewhat unremarkable if used normally."

"Didn't both those clans implode because their members tried too hard to induce the hypnotic state actively without needing to be in emotional distress?" asked Kakashi with a raised eyebrow.

"Conveniently, Naruto's bloodline seems to come from a clan that appears to be extinct," said the Hokage. "We are of course hoping that he does not kill himself like his presumed ancestors."

"Fascinating," said Kakashi with a voice as dry as the desert. "Fair enough then."

"You're free to go, in that case," said the Hokage. "Unless you had anything to add, Danzo?"

"Naruto, don't forget that you need to visit tomorrow," said Danzo. "I have informed the front desk to let you through for our training."

"Bah, alright, I'll remember Grumpyface."

"If you try to skip I'll send the ANBU after you."

"Geh, alright alright I get it, jeez," said Naruto. He folded his arms grouchily.

Hinata and Sayaka sighed, the first fondly and the second tiredly. Naruto had totally been planning on skipping until Danzo had threatened ANBU.

"Well then, ducklings, we should get going," said Kakashi. He clapped his hands together cheerfully. "Training time!"

* * *

Naruto was impressively good at inane chatter, Sayaka decided, because his training in the basement had been classified as a matter of course, but he was still managing to talk about it in nonspecific generalities. He kept up a constant stream as they walked to the training ground—with prompting from Hinata, of course. At some point Naruto had grabbed Hinata by the hand while they were walking. Sayaka elected not to notice that Hinata had turned bright red, but didn't let go.

It was going to end up being a problem someday, their relationship.

For now, Sayaka set that thought aside. They had arrived at the training ground, and waiting for them were Team Ten with their jounin sensei. The team's genin were Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji. Each were the presumptive heirs of their respective clans. Ino and Sayaka hadn't made too much of an effort to be friendly. They found each other somewhat irritating, and Sayaka quietly looked down on the Yamanaka clan heir. She didn't _really_ fight that well, and what exactly was the point of spending so much time on her looks and her charms when her clan's secret techniques required such careful aim? She needed to be faster and stealthier to have a good chance of pulling them off in combat. Still, Sayaka could acknowledge that they were at least a useful set of skills, and kept her opinions to herself.

Shikamaru, of course, Sayaka had just had a date with a week or so ago. The Nara clan's secret techniques were a little more versatile. It gave the clan's members the ability to extend their shadows and connect them to their opponent's. This allowed them to paralyze and control their enemy like a puppet, though there were a few other techniques Sayaka had heard about when learning about them before her date with Shikamaru. While Sayaka didn't really find Shikamaru all that interesting, getting touched by his shadow in this fight was probably an instant loss. She'd have to either be very careful or be extremely violent to prevent him from getting a chance to make good use of it.

The last member was Chouji, heir of the Akimichi clan. They weren't really in talks at the moment, at least partially because the Akimichi clan's abilities were hard to see working well with the Uchiha's. The Sharingan was a dojutsu that ultimately emphasized speed and stealth, seeing as it granted, well, better sight. The Akimichi, meanwhile, could grow their bodies to tremendous sizes and use them to tremendously violent effect. This was fine, but ultimately made them much closer to samurai than most ninja. Maybe a merging of bloodlines could come up with something interesting, but there were a lot of more obvious options there. Still, the boy was definitely dangerous, and would synchronize well with both Shikamaru and Ino.

All in all, the only thing Sayaka was worried about in today's match with Team Ten was that one of them would react to Hinata and Naruto. She saw Ino's eyes flick down to Naruto and Hinata's joined hands, then flick back up to Sayaka.

"If you tell anyone I'll kill you," said Sayaka with her raised eyebrow as Naruto let go of Hinata to wave and shout a greeting.

"Like I'd come between such a cute romance," responded Ino with a roll of her eyes.

Well, it was good that Ino was supportive at least. Shikamaru and Chouji were, like typical boys, oblivious, so it seemed things were okay for now.

"Kakashi, hey," said Asuma-sensei, raising a hand and waving.

"Asuma," said Kakashi, nodding.

"Man, I can't believe we're fighting Team Seven," said Shikamaru with a sigh. "So troublesome. You know they've been in real combat already, right?"

"That's exactly why we're having you guys fight," said Asuma. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his combat vest and tapped it against his palm to make a cigarette slide out. "You guys may have heard the rumors already, but let me make it official: the Hokage is deploying Konoha's ninja to suppress Gato and his organized crime empire. All genin teams will be deploying, as well as a good chunk of Konoha's chunin and jounin. In light of that, we want to make sure you guys can hold your own if Gato turns out to have a lot more missing ninja in his payroll than we expected."

"Here is your scenario," said Kakashi, clapping his hands together to call attention. "You will each roleplay as if you are enemy ninja teams. Team Ten will attempt to capture Team Seven alive, while Team Seven is seeking to find and destroy Team Ten."

"Obviously we expect each of you not to hurt your fellow Konoha shinobi, and we will step in if we think you've lost control," said Asuma. "However, we expect each of you to take the fight seriously, as if it were a real mission."

"Yes, sensei," said both teams. It was a credit to both sets of genin that their attentions immediately sharpened. Even Shikamaru, who Sayaka had been less than impressed by during their date, seemed more focused.

"A few special rules for Team Seven," added Kakashi. "No shadow clones, Naruto, and no razor wire Sayaka."

Sayaka nodded and rolled one shoulder. She hadn't gotten enough practice with it yet anyway.

"Got it, sensei," said Naruto, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "I can kick plenty of ass without them."

"Are you going to be okay?" Sayaka asked, tone light and teasing. "Shadow clones are your only gimmick."

"Naruto-kun will be fine," said Hinata. Her Byakugan was already active, and her face was serious.

"See, you should have more confidence in me," said Naruto. He flicked a kunai into his hands.

Sayaka huffed and smirked. "Fair enough," she said.

Asuma gave Team Seven an amused look and took his cigarette out of the pack. "On my mark," he said, and tucked the pack into his pocket. "Ready."

Sayaka tensed.

Asuma placed the unlit cigarette in his teeth. "Set."

Sayaka could feel Naruto's chakra start to boil, while Hinata's smoothed out into a still pond.

Asuma lit the cigarette. "Go."

The two jounin disappeared as Team Ten retreated immediately, making for the trees to put distance between themselves and Team Seven. They couldn't be allowed to make it there, where Shikamaru's shadows could be put to good use.

"Naruto, cut them off!" Sayaka shouted as they charged in.

"Got it!"

There was a blaze of foul chakra, and suddenly Naruto was flying across the training field. A tendril of red extended from his hand to grab a tree branch opposite Team Seven, then catapulted him towards Team Ten at ridiculous speeds.

Shikamaru's eyes went wide. "Chouji!"

Naruto and Chouji collided in a cloud of chakra smoke. The Akimichi boy had inflated like a pufferfish, sending Naruto careening off into the trees, but the impact had been powerful enough to break his stance and send him rolling backwards into his teammates.

Excellent.

"Nara-san first!" Hinata called from Sayaka's right, "Before Yamanaka-san can—"

"Yes," said Sayaka, and she arced towards Shikamaru's left while blitzing him with shuriken. His reaction speed was noticeably slower than hers, and he didn't have enough time to form a replacement jutsu. Instead, Shikamaru was forced to dive to the ground and try to roll back to his feet, kunai in hand.

But then Hinata was on him, and Shikamaru was forced to flee, still making for the trees, but Hinata was just fast enough to catch up. She reached out a hand and—

—slid back smoothly into a defense spiral as Ino dived in, hurling shuriken. Sayaka grimaced. If she tried to help Hinata, Shikamaru would have his opening to use his shadow paralysis technique, and then they'd be done. Already, she could see his hands lifting to start the jutsu.

Damn it.

Sayaka put on a burst of speed, kunai flicking out of her pouch to force Shikamaru to deflect or dodge the knives. It bought her three steps, then she was on him. She reached out and—

—froze, hand a centimeter from Shikamaru's shirt collar. The boy's eyes were wide, sweat dripped down his forehead, and he was breathing hard.

"Shadow possession complete," Shikamaru managed between gasps. He lowered his hands to his sides, and Sayaka felt herself forced to do the same.

She was trapped.

Something bubbled up inside of Sayaka's chest. Her heartbeat quickened and her muscles trembled and time seemed to slow. Shikamaru was saying something, but she wasn't paying attention. She remembered what had happened the last time she'd been trapped like this, by Zabuza, and how that water had sucked away her chakra and left her helpless. She remembered the way he had slung her violently into two walls and how if Naruto hadn't reappeared she'd have been cut in half by his massive sword.

But Naruto wasn't here, and Shikamaru was making her pull a knife out of her holster. Her hand shook as she was forced to point it towards her belly.

She could imagine the feeling of the blade sliding into her, slicing her open, her blood running out and across her fingers like it had in Senfuku. It would smell like iron and feel like fire being pressed deep into her body and— and—

Shikamaru made her look up at him and the world abruptly crystallized, like it was carved out of glass. She saw with incredible clarity the way he flinched back, attention broken for just a second in surprise and she didn't pause to wonder why, her chakra already flaring like a bonfire in her lungs and rushing out of her in a white-hot storm, shrieking as it tore at the world.

Or maybe the shriek came from her.

Then someone grabbed her in a grip made of iron and forced her to the ground. Sayaka screamed and clawed but the person wrenched her arms behind her and pinned them and someone was shouting her name.

It was Kakashi.

Sayaka went still. Her throat hurt.

"…are you back now, Sayaka?" Kakashi asked cautiously.

"…yes, sensei," Sayaka rasped.

"I'm going to let you back up now."

"Yes, sensei."

Slowly, Kakashi stood and let her get up. Sayaka got up equally slowly, arms and legs suddenly weak and shaky and her stomach roiling. The world was still like carved glass.

"Sayaka, look at me," Kakashi said softly. Sayaka raised her head up and looked at Kakashi.

She saw that he had pulled up his forehead protector, exposing a left eye that had a scar running across its eyelid and across his cheekbone. The fully matured Sharingan that gave Kakashi his reputation as "Kakashi of the Sharingan" sat where his natural dark eye should be, the three tomoe turning slowly around the pupil, where Sayaka could see her reflection.

Oh. She'd activated her own Sharingan.

She'd also been crying. Tear tracks ran down her cheeks and had picked up dust from the ground when Kakashi had wrestled her to the ground. Her face was pale white, standing starkly against her dark hair, and she'd cut her lip from the impact on the ground.

"I'm going to have you take a break," Kakashi said gently. "Do you understand?"

Sayaka nodded. The tomoe were very entrancing. "Yes, sensei."

"Okay. In three, two, one, and—"

Team Ten and Team Seven watched as Sayaka swayed and collapsed, Kakashi easily catching her and easing her into his arms.

"You okay, Shika?" Ino asked quietly.

"Yeah," said Shikamaru. He examined his arms, where the hair had been singed off and the skin was an angry red. "Thanks, Asuma-sensei."

Asuma nodded. "You're good, Shikamaru."

"What happened?" asked Naruto. His hair was full of leaves and twigs, but he'd reappeared just in time to see Sayaka nearly kill Shikamaru.

"Looks like Shikamaru accidentally triggered a flashback," Kakashi said as he brought Sayaka to the teams. "What did you do, Shikamaru?"

"I had her trapped in my shadow possession," said Shikamaru. "I just— I did the usual thing where I had someone hold a knife to themselves and make them surrender."

"How specifically?"

"I had her point a knife at her stomach."

Kakashi sighed. "That would do it. She nearly died after being stabbed in Senfuku, so you probably triggered a flashback to that moment."

Shikamaru frowned. "But… she seemed fine?"

"That's not how battle stress works, unfortunately," said Asuma. "Not everyone gets the symptoms, but if they do, it can show up very suddenly."

The genin exchanged looks, except for Naruto. He seemed unusually quiet and pushed his hands into his pockets, eyes downcast and avoiding the gaze of the others.

"Um, s-sensei, can you explain?" Hinata asked, glancing between her teammates with a worried look. "I-If there's anything we can do to help…"

Asuma and Kakashi exchanged looks. "Let's get Sayaka home first," said Kakashi. "Asuma, you can take care of your kids?"

"Yeah, of course," said Asuma. "If they have any questions I'll send them to you."

Kakashi nodded. "Sounds good. Come on Hinata, Naruto."

* * *

Hiroyo was worried but unsurprised.

"I was hopeful she would bounce back, but I suppose that didn't happen," she said as she placed a pot of tea on the table that Team Seven, sans Sayaka, who was lying on the couch, was seated around.

"It's not uncommon for symptoms to be delayed by some time," said Kakashi. He poured Hiroyo a cup of tea, then one for himself. "Battle stress is strange that way."

Hiroyo nodded. "I have several family members who were impacted by it."

"Sensei, p-please," Hinata broke in. Her hands were clenched anxiously on the surface of the table. "You s-said you would explain."

Kakashi sighed again. "Right. Battle stress is a mental disorder that's caused by exposure to traumatic events. It's relatively common among shinobi. Symptoms vary, but flashbacks like Sayaka had are typical."

Hinata looked down at her hands, thinking, then looked back up to Kakashi. "S-sensei, forgive my impoliteness, but d-do you—?"

"I do," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea. "My symptoms manifest as night terrors. They come and go, depending on my recent missions and how many I'm taking."

"A-and Naruto-kun, is battle stress the r-reason you didn't want to e-eat the beef, back in Senfuku?"

Naruto swallowed, but nodded. "Yeah. The smell reminded me of… of after. I get nightmares too, like sensei."

Hinata looked down at the table again. "I see."

"Not everyone gets symptoms," said Kakashi. He poured Hinata a cup of tea. " And it can easily take a month for symptoms to manifest. During the war we tracked cases as long as a year out from the traumatic experience. You shouldn't feel any guilt about not having the same experiences as your teammates."

"Yeah, if you don't have nightmares or anything you're really lucky, Hinata-chan," said Naruto. He placed his hand on top of hers on the tabletop.

Hinata nodded, lips setting in a firm line. "How can I help?"

"Try and be supportive," said Kakashi, shrugging. "I know it doesn't sound like much, but an open ear is more important than you think. Naruto's already seeing a counselor, and we'll get Sayaka one too, but counseling can only do so much."

Kakashi sighed, leaning backwards in his chair and looking off into the middle distance. "With things like this, it often seems like you're on your own. We'll have to be sure to remind each other that nobody is alone."

Naruto looked down and away. Kakashi's eye traveled over him, then to Hinata, before turning back to Hiroyo.

"Hiroyo-san, how did your clan handle it?" he asked. "If I remember correctly, the Chikurin Clan is mostly samurai and ashigaru stock?"

"It is," said Hiroyo. "Of course, plenty of my kin choose to be shinobi as well. We try to talk to each other and share the load, but I must admit that most seem to handle their symptoms with ease and we don't think of it very much. Sayaka's case is more severe than I am used to. Was the fighting in Senfuku worse than I realized?"

"No, it is an Uchiha trait," said Kakashi. He swirled his tea. "Nobody is totally sure why, but it is suspected that it is related to the Sharingan. A bloodline advanced through strong negative emotions… there may be a terrible symbiosis with battle stress. At the least, the eidetic memory the Sharingan gives can amplify the symptoms. It certainly did for me."

The table unconsciously looked over to the headband that covered Kakashi's Sharingan.

"Well, we'll keep an eye on her, but there's not much to be done," Kakashi continued. "What's important is to make sure that nobody is alone. That's what it means to be part of a team, after all."

He looked at Naruto again.

"I didn't— it seemed like a lot of bother," said Naruto. He looked down at the table and rubbed at his nose. "I should have mentioned it I guess, but like, it's just some bad dreams, y'know?"

"It's not," said Hinata, and this time she gripped Naruto's hand firmly so that he looked up at her. "It's okay, Naruto-kun. We're teammates, r-right?"

Naruto looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Right. I was being stupid again, huh Hinata-chan?"

Hinata smiled a little and gave Naruto's hand a squeeze. "It's okay. Just t-talk to us in the f-future, okay?"

Naruto smiled back and nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

The wake of the debacle of a practice match with Team Ten resulted in a lot of changes for Team Seven. Their schedules became all mixed up as Naruto and Sayaka tried to get in as much time as they could with the trauma counselors before Team Seven was deployed again. Which was to say, Naruto tried, and Sayaka sort of listlessly followed.

Being told that she had battle fatigue didn't worry Sayaka that much. That was normal for ninja, after all. What worried her—irritated her, made her feel anxious—was that counseling took time away from training that she could be spending to get better. She _still_ wasn't back to her pre-injury standard in nearly any respect, though at least her chakra control hadn't suffered.

The way she saw it, the only way to not get triggered in combat again was to be fast enough and strong enough that she wouldn't get caught by any paralysis jutsu in the future. Or maybe, she needed to get caught some more, to make herself move past it and learn to think through the panic. Either way, she needed to be on a practice field, not talking through her feelings and her history with a counselor in a softly lit room in the hospital.

"Try to think of this time as training," said Kagami, her counselor, when Sayaka voiced this feeling. "I know it's frustrating, but emotional control is important for a ninja just as much as chakra control and taijutsu."

Sayaka grunted and looked down at her feet. She didn't want to admit it, but the counselor had a point. A ninja who couldn't control their emotions on a mission was as much a liability as they were an asset. She knew that well enough, but—

"I'm not afraid of being trapped," Sayaka said, looking back up at Kagami. "It's not a conscious reaction. I need to train to stop reacting that way, right?"

Kagami made a waffling gesture with their clipboard. "It is not clear how much that helps. Some ninja do well, others do worse. My job is to figure out which one you are."

"I'm the first kind," Sayaka said firmly. "I— my family— I have to be stronger, and I can only do that by training."

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?"

"I— what else is there?" Sayaka asked. "You can't push your limits without training."

"Perhaps," said Kagami, and they shrugged one shoulder noncommittally while writing something down on the clipboard. "Well, it seems we're out of time for today. Please remember to come in tomorrow, and please follow the restrictions I've laid out for your routine."

Sayaka sucked in her breath between her teeth, sighed, and nodded. "Fine," she said, and stood to leave. "Thank you for your time."

"You shouldn't feel obliged to be polite with me, Uchiha-hime," said Kagami, not looking up from their clipboard as they wrote. "If you don't like being here, you shouldn't hide it. But I will insist that you come anyway."

Sayaka felt her lip curl and squashed the sneer she was tempted to make. "I admit that this feels like a waste of time," Sayaka said as calmly as she could. "However, I recognize that you are doing what you think is best."

"As is your sensei," said Kagami, and this time they did look up. "Do you doubt your sensei?"

Sayaka struggled not to grind her teeth and dipped her head. "I do not."

"Mm. Well, I have another patient, so I must say goodbye."

Sayaka bowed again, and left.

Despite Sayaka's frustrations, Naruto seemed to respond well to his sessions. His mood improved remarkably over the following weeks, as did his skill with the Kyuubi's chakra and his ability to focus during training. Whatever was happening between Naruto and his counselor in those soundproofed rooms was clearly effective, and, reluctantly, Sayaka tried her best to be productive with her own counselor.

Between sessions in the counselor's office and personal training, Sayaka found the time to apologize to Team Ten, and Shikamaru in particular. Asuma had evidently explained things to them, and nobody blamed her. If anything, they seemed more worried about what would happen when Team Ten finally saw combat. Would they go through something similar?

Well, it wasn't any of Sayaka's concern. What would happen would happen and their jounin sensei would take care of what happened afterwards. As long as they were on positive terms with her, she was content.

Hinata was pulled into clan training and administration as the clan as a whole began to prepare for their part in the coming conflict. She was looking frazzled of late, drinking more tea and napping in the afternoons when she could get away from the clan to do team training with Sayaka and Naruto. Despite the tiredness, she was also definitely improving and was getting notably faster.

"There is a technique that m-many Hyuuga use to close to attack," she explained once. "At its root it is j-just a chakra control e-exercise, but it is a challenge. I am not yet very good at it."

"Some chakra control exercise," Naruto wheezed, hands on his knees and trying to take slow, deep breaths. "That was _fast_. I could barely even see."

"You're just slow," said Sayaka, mostly teasing.

"Tch, you got hit too," Naruto replied.

"Not as badly."

"That's just 'cause of your fancy-schmancy Sharingan."

"It helps," Sayaka conceded, and turned her eyes back on. The experience was still a novel one, and while it was really lame that she'd activated her eyes in a sparring match gone wrong, she wasn't about to wish them back so that she could earn them in a proper fight. "It looks like it helps you push off the ground with much greater force, Hinata."

Hinata nodded. "T-that's correct. A t-true master can do it w-without leaving a trace, but I s-still leave impressions in the ground."

Sayaka turned a gimlet eye at the tiny divots Hinata had left in the surface of the soil of their training ground.

"Right," she said. "Well, the speed is more important than the stealth."

Hinata ducked her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "T-thank you for the praise, b-but I still have a long way to g-go."

The one thing that they could _not_ train was Sayaka's new Sharingan. Her bloodline had activated with two tomoe in her left eye, while her right eye only had one. Already, her eyes could cast hypnotic genjutsu, help make movement easier to follow, and provide eidetic memory. It was, by all accounts, an impressive start for an Uchiha and their bloodline.

But genjutsu didn't slot well into Sayaka's current repertoire, and the other abilities only helped so much. She was being held back by her conditioning. It didn't matter what she copied or what she could see if her body couldn't move fast enough, couldn't make enough chakra, and the only way to overcome that in the short term was to advance her Sharingan until she could use its more advanced capabilities. The trouble was that only Kakashi could help her, and while he could certainly give tips on how to use what she had, he had no advice on how to gain more power.

"My Sharingan was gifted to me with two tomoe," he had explained. "The third tomoe came in naturally after several combat missions. As far as I know, you can only advance by using it in battle."

Sayaka had incinerated seven scarecrows afterwards to calm down. That old feeling, of spinning her wheels while everything else moved around her, was starting to creep in. The medic nin had said she should be back up to speed by now, but she wasn't. She was still slower, still weaker, still got out of breath when she _shouldn't be_. It seemed like it had been a long time since she had felt so stuck, and the time between made it sting. It didn't matter how good her record was and how fast she had advanced as a ninja. She had all these things that she needed to do to get better and she couldn't do _any of it_. Her injuries had put her behind, her Sharingan had finally arrived but she had no way to get better with it, and she still had a long way to go before she could kill her brother.

It made her insides bubble and her teeth creak as she wound back a punch and ran it viciously into a tree trunk, chakra flaring as she contacted exactly like she was supposed to in order to reinforce her bones and keep them from breaking. The tree rattled, but no leaves fell.

"You uh, trying to kill the tree there, Sayaka?"

Sayaka sucked in a breath between her teeth, then blew it out. "Kiba."

"That was a pretty good punch," said Kiba.

Sayaka turned and attempted to hold her composure. Akamaru barked at her from the front of Kiba's hoodie. "Thanks. Hi Akamaru."

"You uh, want to go get some food?" Kiba asked, cocking a thumb over his shoulder as Akamaru wiggled at Sayaka. "It's like, almost six."

Sayaka frowned and looked at where the sun was on the horizon. Dammit.

"Hiroyo is making dinner," said Sayaka, shaking her head. "Sorry." Then, because she was insane, she heard herself add: "Do you want to come?"

Kiba blinked at her, then nodded. "Sure. Though, it's probably not good to bring a guest over at the last minute like this."

Sayaka shrugged and contemplated why she was an idiot sometimes. "We usually have leftovers, but I might pick something up at the shop to make up for it. You like meat, right?"

"Nah, you don't have to do that," said Kiba, but Akamaru barked something. "Oh, but Akamaru wants to know what he'll eat."

"….I think they have dog food at the shop?" Sayaka said. She honestly wasn't sure. "Er, what does Akamaru eat anyway?"

"Not canned dog food," said Kiba, making a face. "That stuff is gross."

"…have you tried it?"

"Yeah. Haven't you?"

"No? Who does that?"

Kiba flushed and rubbed his nose. "W-well, I was curious, and let me tell you, it's gross."

Sayaka felt herself smile at Kiba's expression. "Fair enough, I guess. Let's, um, let's get going then? We'll figure something out when we get there."

They set off, with Sayaka trying to lead Kiba on a relatively discreet path. It seemed a little paranoid, but old habits died hard. By now she'd definitely finished any dates she needed to go on for the sake of clan negotiations, and nobody else had caught her eye, so in principle there was nothing that Sayaka needed to fear from the rumor mill. Still, who knew what a bunch of gossipy housewives could come up with?

"Say, you went on a date with Shino didn't you?" Kiba asked. "How did that go?"

"It was fine," said Sayaka before going quiet for a moment. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she thought how to put it. "He's actually really nice."

"Mm."

"I never got to ask him about, you know, my brother," Sayaka said, looking down at the ground. "He's… hard to read. But I think he's a pretty good guy."

"Better than me?"

Sayaka glanced over at Kiba. He was looking out into the middle distance, seemingly just watching where he was walking.

"Maybe," said Sayaka. "I think he works very hard at becoming a skilled ninja. His clan is strong too, and their bloodline ability is very powerful."

Kiba grunted.

"I'm pretty sure you and Akamaru could take him though," Sayaka said.

Kiba grunted again, but Sayaka glanced over and could see him grinning. "Kinda pointless fight though. We'd just hurt each other and end up in the hospital."

"Yeah."

"You going to go on a second date with him?"

Sayaka shook her head. "I think I—" for a second her tongue caught in her throat and a jolt of butterflies went through her stomach "—I think I like you."

"…you mean, you like me better?" asked Kiba, and this time Sayaka was the one carefully not looking at the other person in the conversation.

"I… I guess," she said and hoped she wasn't blushing too hard. "I mean, you're a good match. The Inuzuka clan is pretty strong, your bloodline ability is strong as well, and it probably would be a good compliment to the Sharingan. But that's the same for the Aburame clan, so from a clan alliances point of view it's the same."

"…uh huh."

Sayaka sighed. She was not doing this well. "I looked into the clan traditions of Konoha. If two suitors are an equal match to a bride, it is usually the case that the bride may choose based on her personal preference. For a clan heir, like me, it usually is a political question, but since the Uchiha clan has a… unique situation, I have more freedom than I normally would to choose."

Which was to say, the Uchiha Clan had prestige, but Sayaka lacked political allies and literally anyone with enough strength would do. Neither the Aburame nor the Inuzuka were that prominent, but they weren't weak either, and would probably only grow in strength.

"I guess you made a better first impression," Sayaka admitted. "You're easy for me to understand. I don't like political stuff, and if I'm going to date someone I don't want to deal with that. If I did something you didn't like, you would just tell me, and the same goes the other way. And… and I appreciate the fact that you'd be willing to help with my brother. So, if we got married I think it wouldn't be too hard for us to figure something out."

There was a long moment of silence.

Then Akamaru yipped and Kiba snorted. "Akamaru and I both think that was the lamest confession we ever heard."

Sayaka felt herself flush. "Buzz off," said Sayaka, punching Kiba in the shoulder.

"Seriously, like, could you have come up with a more roundabout way of saying 'hey, I think I like you that way, we should date'?" said Kiba, rubbing his shoulder and rolling his eyes. "We already had the talk about getting married and stuff. How is _this_ the thing that makes you embarrassed?"

"Shut _up_, Inuzuka," said Sayaka. She could feel her face burning. "It's different, okay?"

Kiba clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes again. "Yeah sure, and the Hokage's hat is green. I want you to say it properly."

Sayaka stopped in the street to look at him. "I'm sorry?"

"I said, say it properly," said Kiba, planting his hands on his hips and looking at her with a very determined expression. "I wanna hear you say it."

"Say _what_?"

"Your confession!" said Kiba. "Do it right! This is an important moment for me!"

Sayaka goggled at him then looked away. "I— fine. Inuzuka Kiba, I— I think I—"

Kiba leaned forward. "Yes?"

"I think I have a crush on you, alright? Gods."

Kiba grinned and Akamaru barked something and the two of them took a moment to do a little dance. "Yes!"

"Are you done now?" Sayaka asked, and turned to keep walking. "We're going to be late."

"Hey man, give me my moment!" said Kiba, running to catch up. "I've had a crush on you since, like, years ago. You're the coolest girl in our class, you know that right? I always wanted to date you."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

"Yeah! But I never confessed, 'cause you were always kind of intimidating," said Kiba. He grinned brightly at her. "I'm glad that we had that date though, 'cause I got to see the cute side of you too."

Sayaka punched him in the shoulder again. Dammit. Kiba needed to stop making her feel all fluttery inside. "I'm not cute."

"I dunno, this counts as cute for an Inuzuka," said Kiba. He tucked his hands into his pockets as he walked beside her.

Sayaka snorted. "You have weird standards."

"And aren't you lucky I have them?"

"Tch."

They turned the last corner to Sayaka's apartment, and a thought occurred to her. "If we're dating, is it going to cause a problem for you and Shino?"

Kiba's expression turned sober. "I'm not sure. I never asked."

"You'll have to figure it out."

"Yeah."

They entered the apartment building in silence except for the clang of the door as it shut and the thump of their footsteps on the stairs.

"You're serious about this?" Kiba asked as Sayaka fished her apartment key out of her pouch. "About dating me, I mean."

Sayaka looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Have I ever _not_ been serious about this sort of thing?"

"No."

"Why would I stop now then?"

Kiba grinned at her. "You wouldn't."

Sayaka maintained eye contact as she unlocked the door and opened it, only turning away to step across the threshold of her apartment. "I'm back, Hiroyo. Is it okay that I brought Kiba with me?"

* * *

The news inevitably spread like wildfire, and Kiba almost didn't have time to talk to Shino before the village's latest bit of gossip had ricocheted around to the Aburame.

"I confess to disappointment," Shino said. "It is widely known that Sayaka is an excellent catch. I would have liked to date her."

"Sorry man," said Kiba, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I dunno what to say."

"Do not worry, I will get over it," said Shino with a wave of his hand. "I may need a day or two, but our teamwork will not be impacted. Congratulations."

"Thanks," said Kiba. He licked his lips. "I— yeah. Thanks."

True to his word, Shino did not linger on the issue, and Team Eight's coordination took no hits. It was lucky, as more than one genin team had been torn apart by much the same, and Kurenai counted her blessings.

News of Sayaka's decision seemed to put Naruto in a contemplative mood—less and less of a novelty for him, now—and for a few days he seemed perpetually lost in thought.

"You know, me and Hinata aren't, like, official or anything," he remarked one day while juggling kunai with the Kyuubi's chakra while Hinata was stuck in a clan event. Sayaka was quickly getting used to the sensation that was emitted by the stuff. "I feel like it's probably not something we should ever do."

"No, that would be bad," said Sayaka, pausing in her shuriken practice to look at him. "You were thinking about it?"

"Well, I mean, kind of," said Naruto. He flicked the kunai one by one into the target downrange and frowned at the broad scatter. "Like, it'd be kind of nice, you know? But I can't do anything too romantic or people will start to notice."

"You're into that sort of thing, huh?"

"Well I mean yeah, obviously," said Naruto. He raised his hand and had the Kyuubi's chakra reach out to start retrieving the kunai. "Like, I dunno, I guess, now that I think about it, I just sort of go for cute girls, but Hinata's pretty special, so I want to treat her better, you know? Does that make sense?"

Sayaka squinted at him. "…are you really Naruto?"

Naruto scowled at her. "I'm not that bad."

"You're pretty bad," said Kakashi, and Naruto yelped and nearly dropped his kunai. "You know she's been pining after you since you became genin, right?"

"Earlier, actually," said Sayaka. "Since we were nine."

Naruto's scowl deepened. "I know _now, _okay? Anyway the point is that I gotta make up for it, but like, people probably gossip about her like they gossip about you, and it would suck if I made Hinata-chan's life worse by accident."

"Where is all this introspection coming from anyway?" Kakashi asked. "Not that we're complaining."

"Ehh, well, my counselor and Grumpyface both make me do a lot of guided meditation," said Naruto. He squinted downrange and raised a tendril full of kunai, then whipped them forward again. Damn it, the spread was still pretty bad. "It's super boring, but like, I guess it's helping, so I guess I have to keep doing it. It's kind of like chakra control exercises, you know? Don't you do any meditation, Sayaka?"

Sayaka turned back to the targets downrange and readied her shuriken. "No. My counselor says it's not a good idea."

Naruto paused to think about this, scratching his chin while retrieving his kunai. "Maybe they're afraid you'll go crazy?"

The expression Sayaka turned on Naruto threatened spontaneous combustion. Kakashi winced—what a tactless thing to say. "I'm not going to go crazy."

"Maa maa, I just meant, maybe like, it'll trigger something involuntary," said Naruto, backing away while making supplicating gestures. "You know, like uhhhhh—"

"I know a chunin who got mauled once by a giant wolf that a clan in Kumo keeps as familiars," said Kakashi before Naruto could stick his foot in his mouth a second time. "He can't work with Inuzuka any more—it gives him flashbacks."

Sayaka turned and hurled her shuriken downrange, where they buried themselves in the wood. "Yeah, well, he can still work."

"Sure."

"How am I supposed to get over this if we keep avoiding it?" Sayaka asked. She slid another handful of shuriken out of her holster.

"You're not avoiding it, the counselor is just trying to build up to it," said Kakashi.

"Then what's taking so long?" Sayaka asked, lip curling in irritation before she hurled her shuriken again. They thudded home, nearly atop one another in the bullseye of the target.

Kakashi didn't have much he could say. "These things take time," he said, shrugging. "It took me ten years."

Sayaka scowled but stayed silent. She didn't have ten years. If her brother came back before then, and she hadn't managed to fix herself, things would go very, very badly. Not to mention that losing it over _paralysis and capture jutsu_ was a serious concern—what would happen if an enemy got lucky on a mission?

Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other, helpless, as Sayaka wound back and threw a third time. What could they say, really? There wasn't anything that anyone could do except wait. If the counselor didn't think Sayaka was ready, then she wasn't ready. They wanted to help her, but they couldn't push it without risking even more harm.

That was that.

* * *

For all her life's frustrations, Sayaka did find a moment of satisfaction later that week, albeit from an unlikely source.

"Saaayakaaa," sang Ino.

"We have questions," said Sakura.

"No," said Sayaka.

"Sayaka, that's not very nice!" said Ino, snatching up Sayaka's arm before escape could be made. "Come on, we three competed for top kunoichi in the Academy. Us rivals should catch up now that we're genin!"

"That's not how that works," said Sayaka flatly. If she threw Ino into that cart, would she be forced to make reparations? How much could it really cost if she was? Maybe it would be worth it to get away from this conversation.

"Sure it is," said Sakura, grabbing at Sayaka's other arm. Sayaka flinched away from the other girl's hand as if it would burn her. If either Sakura or Ino noticed, they didn't react. "It's, mm, reconnecting! Or something."

Sayaka gave them both the most unimpressed, unconvinced stare she could muster. They were excellent examples of the prototypical kunoichi, all innocent looks and pretty faces.

"Ugh," Sayaka sighed. "Fine."

"Excellent!" said Ino, and she pressed a drink into Sayaka's hands before dragging her to a nearby cafe table. "So Kiba."

"Why him?" asked Sakura.

"Seriously?" asked Sayaka.

"Yes," said both girls simultaneously, and Sayaka sighed again. For the love of everything.

Sayaka took an experimental sip of the beverage Ino had handed her and winced. It was something hilariously fruity and sweet. "I dunno. Why do you pick boys?"

"Well personally I go for the refined type," said Ino with a flick of her ponytail. "Only the most elegant man for an elegant kunoichi like myself."

"As long as he's cute, I don't really mind honestly," said Sakura thoughtfully. "As long as he's not annoying, and oh, I do like them with nice hair."

"You're really shallow, Sakura."

"Takes one to know one, Ino."

"Anyway the point is, Kiba's none of those things," said Ino. She gestured vaguely with her drink. "You know, he's kind of—"

"—boorish?" supplied Sakura.

"Smells a little," added Ino.

"Though not like he doesn't wash," said Sakura, "but like, he's one of those boys that always kind of has that smell of his? It's a little weird."

"I like it," said Sayaka, shrugging. It was hard to pin down as smells went, but it was pleasant enough. Maybe a bit musky, so she could see why others might not like it. "He also trains a lot."

"Oooo," cooed the other girls, and Sayaka felt a pang of deepest despair.

"So you like the strong, manly type," said Ino, nodding appreciatively. "I can see it, you're always training after all, so you'd pick a boy who wouldn't mind."

"Mm, and Naruto trains a lot but is Naruto."

Sayaka snorted. Probably the only girl interested in Naruto was Hinata.

"Still, you could have gone for Shino too," Sakura continued. "So why Kiba?"

"The Inuzuka bloodline works better," said Sayaka. Which wasn't true, but she would lie to the two of them for days before admitting that she had a crush.

"Is it really just clan things?" asked Sakura. She and Ino leaned in close and Sayaka leaned away, grimacing. "Oooo I see you blushing~"

"I'm not blushing," said Sayaka, turning away and taking a sip of the drink reflexively before nearly gagging. Gods above, why was it so sweet?

"Eee, I think the great Uchiha-hime has a crush on someone!" Ino squeed, but quietly, because she knew Sayaka would kill her if she were to make a scene here in public about this sort of thing. "I'm so happy for you Sayaka! Ah, so romantic."

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"So have you kissed yet?"

"No."

"You've held hands though right?"

"No."

This prompted scandalized gasps. "But _Sayaka_."

"We barely know each other," said Sayaka testily. "We went on one arranged date and talked a few times. Who kisses someone after that?"

"A kiss after the first date is totally normal," said Sakura, waving a finger authoritatively. "It's like, the way you show you're interested!"

"…Have you even _been _on a date with someone yet?" asked Sayaka.

"N-no, but that's not the point," said Sakura quickly, going briefly pink before soldiering on. "The point is that you gotta kiss him before we all start heading out to Senfuku."

Sayaka made a perplexed expression at her. "I do?"

"Yeah, it's like, a major plot point," said Sakura. "The heroine always gives her intended a farewell kiss before riding off into battle."

Sayaka furrowed her brown. "You mean the _hero_."

"Right sure, but you're the main character here."

"That—" Sayaka started, stunned by the convolutions in logic on display in front of her. "That makes no sense."

"Sure it does," said Ino. "But if you want to take it slow that's fine too, right Sakura?"

"Yeah, especially because if you break my teammate's heart I'll have to sock you," said Sakura, and she flexed her arm with a grin. "I'm getting a lot stronger these days!"

"Uh huh," said Sayaka. She looked at them in silence for a moment, then got to her feet. "Anyway, if you're finished, I have some shopping to do."

"Oh, what are you buying?" asked Ino. Sayaka felt trepidation—there was a strange glint to Ino's eyes that reminded her of a cat sensing weakness in its prey.

"I need new clothes," said Sayaka, folding her arms.

Sakura made a disappointed noise. "Really? Jeez, I want to come!"

"You have a team meeting though."

"Yes, _exactly_, but obviously I'd rather go shopping with Sayaka."

Sayaka rolled her eyes again. "Please don't."

"Oh come on, Sayaka, it'd be fun!" said Sakura enthusiastically. "What are you planning on buying? Skirts were a great choice, you know, they're _super_ cute on you."

Sayaka scowled and picked at the edge of her skirt with a frown. "That's the reason. The team will be running missions again soon, and I need something that isn't as cutesy."

"Mmmm, yeah, I think I know what you mean," said Ino, gaze immediately sharpening as she flicked her gaze over Sayaka. "You started dressing like that to be less threatening, right?"

Sayaka blinked. "I guess."

"But you want to be taken seriously as a fighting kunoichi, so you're looking for a change in style," said Ino, nodding to herself. "You've tried out leggings?"

"We had some in Senfuku, from Lord Hayashi. Tailored kobakama."

"Right, I know a place that sells things like that," said Ino. She smiled brightly. "I can show you, but in return you need to tell me more about why you like Kiba, so that I can tell Sakura later after her team meeting."

Sayaka made a face like she was being forced to chew a stick of black licorice, but she made the mistake of glancing over at Sakura, who was gazing at Sayaka plaintively as if saying no would cause Sakura to suffer actual, physical harm from disappointment.

Ugh.

"Fine," Sayaka sighed. Ino and Sakura cheered.

* * *

Sakura left for her team meeting soon after, promising to bring Sayaka's love to Kiba. Sayaka tried to strangle her for it, but Sakura just danced away with a laugh. Sayaka pondered all the ways she could immolate herself and escape further public embarrassment.

The shop that Ino took Sayaka to was being manned by an anxious-looking girl named Mayako. She seemed oddly familiar, though Sayaka couldn't place exactly how, and seemed to know Ino well. Mayako was eager for their business, especially when she realized that Ino had brought along none other than the Last Uchiha, and immediately went out of her way to provide the best service she could possibly muster.

"My mother usually runs the shop but she had to step out for a moment for an important errand," Mayako explained as she bowed to Sayaka. "I apologize that she is not here to attend to you, Uchiha-hime."

"Er, it's fine," said Sayaka. It was still a little uncomfortable being treated this way.

"Sayaka here is looking for some new clothes," said Ino. "You guys have been pretty good for me in the past, so I thought maybe you could help her out."

Mayako bowed again. "Of course, Lady Yamanaka! We are honored that you think of us so. I will do my best until my mother returns. If I may ask, Lady Uchiha, what is it you are looking for?"

Despite her deference, Mayako had no trouble hitting Sayaka with a rapid-fire barrage of questions as she led them deeper into the shop. The first thing Mayako reached for was a series of close-fitting shirts with sleeves that would extend out past Sayaka's elbows and a hemline that ended halfway down her hips.

"The fabric is a twill weave from the Hokage's Workshop," said Mayako, voice turning thoughtful as she rubbed the fabric between her fingers. "It's made of one-quarter wool and three-quarters cotton. The cotton threads are treated with the wax of a plant they found out in the western fern forests that reacts with chakra to form a hard-wearing varnish. Together, you get a fabric that helps wick moisture away from your skin while remaining water-resistant, fire-resistant, and able to prevent scrapes and burns."

Well, Sayaka didn't remember much about fabric from kunoichi classes, but the last bit was what was important. "Interesting. How much does it cost?"

The price was a shock even for Ino.

"Jeez, must be some hard stuff to make," said Ino with a wince. "I'd help you out, Sayaka, but my parents don't give me _that_ much allowance."

"Don't worry about it," Sayaka grunted. After all, her income wasn't exactly large either. Hiroyo's childcare allowance didn't cover buying specialized combat equipment. The money coming from the Uchiha estate was significant and helped a lot, but it was still less than Ino's family income, or at least it would be until Sayaka turned sixteen, or got married, whichever came first.

Hm. Maybe she should just marry Kiba now and get that extra cash.

Sayaka restrained herself from laughing at the idea. There was dating, and there was rushing into a commitment thoughtlessly. She would just have to do the best she could with what she had, for now. Besides, maybe she'd get lucky like Naruto and snag a missing-nin bounty on Team Seven's next mission.

"The varnish is the expensive part," said Mayako. She hummed thoughtfully. "Mmm, canvas would do just as well for abrasion and can be recycled, so it has good resale value when it wears out. Lady Uchiha, you already have underwear that wicks sweat, correct?"

Sayaka nodded. "I do."

"In that case let me show you some possible alternatives," said Mayako. She led them over to a rotating display, where several different kinds of shirts and jackets were hung up by their sleeves with a pole running in from one sleeve and out the other. The available fabrics for each were hung on a string at the end of the pole. "Canvas is a tough, abrasion-resistant fabric that we recommend if you expect to abuse your equipment. It can be made in a variety of colors and takes treatments well, though as you can see the texture of the weave and the weight of the fabric will lend a certain style to your outfit."

"I go for pure cotton," Ino added. "It's very light and drapes well. It's best for that elegant kunoichi look, you know?"

Sayaka glanced sideways at Ino with a flatness to her lips. Who cared about that? "Is canvas very popular?" she asked Mayako.

Mayako gestured vaguely. "It depends. Most of the designs we work with are intended for our male customers, since most kunoichi prefer cotton, like Lady Yamanaka. The texture of canvas isn't very fashionable right now, and the fabric tends to be stiff and not flatter a girl's figure."

"That isn't relevant."

"Of course, miss, though I must mention that these designs are fairly easy to alter," Mayako said. "If there is something here which you are interested in, you could try it on and we could see what alterations would be needed."

Sayaka considered this. She couldn't care less about the fabric's texture as long as it could hold up in combat. And a little attention to her appearance wouldn't hurt. "Do you have anything that is similar to the shirt we were just looking at?"

"Mm, yes, I think so," said Mayako. She flipped through the display for a moment, then stepped back to show Sayaka what she had found. To Sayaka's eyes it didn't look all that different from the more expensive shirts they had been looking at, with the only difference that the sleeves were looser, since canvas had much less stretch to it.

"This seems fine," said Sayaka. "What fabric do you suggest?"

"The heavier fabrics will be best, I think," said Mayako. She considered. "Well, perhaps something in the middle. You don't use much grappling, if I recall correctly?"

Sayaka paused. How would Mayako know that? The only way would be if she had spent a lot of time watching Sayaka fight, which wasn't possible unless…

She realized why Mayako seemed familiar. "You were in our class."

Mayako froze, then ducked her head. "T-that is correct, Lady Uchiha."

Sayaka looked at Mayako again. She didn't have strong memories of the girl, only that she had been among those who received regular praise in the kunoichi classwork. The deferential behavior seemed new, but Sayaka honestly couldn't say what Mayako had been like.

"Why aren't you in the field?" Sayaka asked. Ino winced. Had Sayaka done something wrong?

"Um, my… my jounin sensei did not pass my team," said Mayako. She swallowed, then cleared her throat. "My family needed the income, so I decided to work in the shop."

Oh. "I see."

"Mayako's planning on trying again next year," said Ino. "There's only so many jounin that get freed up for genin each graduation, so, you know. It's not a big deal."

Sayaka nodded. "Of course. I hope your training goes well."

Mayako glanced up at Sayaka and smiled briefly, then turned her eyes back down to the ground. "Thank you very much, Lady Uchiha," she said. "I intend to work hard."

They were all lying to each other, of course, but the truth was too impolite. There were dozens of tailors in Konoha. Mayako wouldn't be able to help enough to make a difference if she kept up her ninja training. Unless she got some kind of administrative role in the tower, but even then…

Sayaka held back a sigh. "Well, let's continue. I prefer striking, it's true. You said the medium-grade fabric is best?"

"Yes miss," said Mayako, clearly grateful for the topic change. "Light canvas won't hold up well to fighting, but it is lighter and a little cooler. Heavy canvas is stiffer, and some people say that it allows air to circulate better, but if you prefer this kind of shirt then you won't see the benefit and it will restrict your movement more."

Sayaka nodded and stepped closer to examine the different kinds of fabric available. "What about supplementary equipment?"

"Well, we sell several different varieties of knee and elbow guards, miss," Mayako said while gesturing at the shop's display. "These are just examples, of course, since we cannot make the armor components ourselves, but you can see that we have arrangements with tanners and smiths who can provide you with the protection you need."

Sayaka idly rubbed one of the fabric samples between her fingers. It was a blend of cotton and hemp, more expensive than the pure hemp fabrics according to the tag but also likely to be much more comfortable. A week's worth of shirts and two pairs of leggings would probably cut deep into her savings if she went with this fabric for all of it. Did she really want to get a set of pads as well? Maybe gloves would be better, since she used wire so much, but getting something that could resist razor wire wasn't going to be possible at the prices on display. She already had the callouses—it wouldn't kill her to wait longer. Still, something to protect her hands in urban combat was a good idea…

"Why don't we see how the shirt looks," Mayako suggested. "We can decide the rest as we go depending on what you want to spend. Does that sound reasonable, miss?"

Sayaka paused, then nodded. "Very well."

* * *

"No. It was hard to move in."

Ino pouted at Sayaka as they left the shop after picking out the rest of Sayaka's clothes. The total had been substantial and she almost regretted the purchase, but, well, she _was_ starting missions again. It would probably work out alright in the end. Mayako had expected it would be a week or so before Sayaka's clothes would be ready. Judging by Mayako's eagerness, Sayaka suspected they didn't get that much business.

"Sayaka," Ino said with indignation, "if I were a boy, I would have kicked Mayako out so I could ravish you right there. You have the whole dangerous kunoichi aesthetic _down_, girl."

Sayaka felt herself go red. "What?"

"You know! That thing where girls snatch boys into alleys to pin them up against walls," said Ino, wiggled her eyebrows at Sayaka. "Slicing off their clothes with a kunai so you can—"

"That's not what I meant," said Sayaka quickly. Gods, this girl. "Besides, those clothes _clung_. How was I supposed to move if they clung so much?"

"That's the _point_, you silly girl," said Ino, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "You want boys to look at you don't you?"

"I want to stab them more," said Sayaka flatly.

"Oh you'd figure something out," said Ino dismissively. "Besides, Kiba would appreciate it right?"

"I— that's not why I buy clothes, Ino!"

"Alright alright, but still, I'm not wrong," said Ino with an authoritative wave of a finger. "We girls need to make use of our advantages in life, you know?"

Sayaka huffed. "I guess."

"Seriously! You're pretty and have great hair. You _already_ had all the boys falling over you in the Academy without trying. You'd kill people if you put in more effort."

Sayaka scowled at her. It wasn't that Sayaka didn't like feeling feminine, sometimes, because she _was _a girl and not actually made of ice like the rumors claimed. She just had particular times when she wanted to feel that way, and "all the time, in public" was not one of them.

"I don't want to be that kind of ninja," Sayaka said, "and I have a duty to my clan."

Ino sighed. "Well, that's fair I guess, and I get why you want to be taken seriously as a fighting kunoichi. Still, you and Kiba are dating now right? You shouldn't be too uptight around him."

Sayaka's scowl deepened. "He's not like that."

"Isn't he?" Ino asked skeptically. "I don't want to overstep, but he's still a boy Sayaka. They don't get why a girl wants to be taken seriously that way."

Sayaka felt her temper flare and she almost said something rude to Ino. But some part of Sayaka stepped in and doused the flames, asking if Ino was really that wrong. _Did _Kiba understand? He probably understood better than most boys, but would that be enough?

"We'll see," said Sayaka after a moment. "I… there is a lot of time to figure things out, after all."

Ino nodded. "That's fair."

"I just… he doesn't seem like that kind of person," said Sayaka. She looked down at her feet and remembered what he had said to her that night at the festival. "I think he values family more than anything else. And the Inuzuka are…"

Ino snorted. "Yeah. There's a reason I'm not planning on getting a marriage contract with them."

"Are you looking?

"Not really. Dad says there's no reason to think about it too much, but still. I can't help it, you know?"

Sayaka sighed. "It's annoying."

"Right? At least we Yamanaka don't have a special bloodline, it's just clan secrets. It's easier for me, but still. I wish we didn't need to worry about it."

Sayaka looked down at her feet. It didn't seem fair that girls, at least clan girls, needed to spend so much time worrying about finding a good match. Someone like Ino, who seemed determined to start a family sooner rather than later, at least could focus their efforts. But Sayaka didn't have that luxury.

"It's what it is," said Sayaka. "We can't change it."

"I guess, but that's not so bad is it?" Ino replied. She grinned at Sayaka. "Babies are cute, you know?"

That was true, Sayaka supposed, but they were also very tedious things to have and to take care of. Not to mention that she also needed to worry about her brother and her clan's prestige.

Sayaka didn't say any of this out loud, but Ino read it on her face and nudged her shoulder. "Come on, cheer up Uchiha-hime. We got time! We're still young."

Sayaka harrumphed but smiled back. Ino was right. There was time. No time for complacency nor for slacking off, but time enough that Sayaka could address the problems in her life one by one and find her way.

* * *

"Well, I suppose I'm not too surprised," said Kakashi.

"Considering _your_ history, no," said Kagami. Sayaka's counselor flipped their notes shut and crossed their legs to stare at Kakashi. "You aren't teaching Sayaka bad habits, are you?"

"I try not to," said Kakashi. "She's only picked up on the good ones so far."

"Well keep up that performance and we may yet make a well-adjusted kunoichi out of Uchiha Sayaka," said Kagami. They shook their head with a sigh. "It's a wonder any of us make it to retirement."

"Shinobi retire?" asked Kakashi, and it was only half a joke. Those who didn't die in combat and didn't go crazy usually had been in war since they were ten. Decades of training and muscle memory didn't just turn off when you "retired", and the transition often wasn't pretty. A lot of ninja chose to dabble around the edges of shinobi life until they died, if only to have something to do.

"Since Tsunade-sama instituted the mental health program, yes," Kagami said. "Not as many as we would like, but at least there aren't so many suicides."

"Really? I haven't been keeping track of the statistics."

"You _were_ a statistic. We weren't going to tell you anything in case it made you worse."

Kakashi paused and thought over his pre-genin-team career, then nodded. "Fair enough."

"But to take this back to your original question," Kagami said, "if it were solely up to me, I would try to keep Uchiha Sayaka in the village so that I can fully assess her condition."

"Is this simply out of caution, or do you have a pressing concern?" Kakashi asked.

"Caution," said Kagami. "We don't know anything for certain, and Sayaka is very opposed to these sessions. Much like her sensei was."

"Well we can only hope that she is different and sees sense faster," said Kakashi. "Is your caution founded on anything specific?"

"No," said Kagami. They flipped through their notebook before letting it drop shut again. "There isn't enough evidence to work on right now. It's possible I'm not the right psychiatrist for her."

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "Which kind would you suggest?"

"I have inadequate data to make a suggestion."

"Really?"

"Sayaka _really _hates these sessions," said Kagami. They rubbed their nose. "She is focused entirely on training."

"We had a good talk the other day during shuriken practice," said Kakashi. "Do you think it would be possible to move your counseling sessions to a practice field?"

Kagami considered. "Let me ask my supervisor," they replied. "I am unsure, but I have heard that it can be helpful for some patients. In the meantime, though, you are certain I cannot persuade you to put off new missions?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "You know as well as I do that Sayaka is terrified of stagnation."

"Of course," Kagami said, and their lips thinned as they considered the options. "Are there not any other missions that can occupy your team's attention?"

"Nothing relevant to their skill level, at least, no."

"Well then we must pray to whatever deities we have faith in," said Kagami, slapping their notebook against their knee in frustration. "It would be better if we did not have our children going to battle, Hatake. Why do we persist in this?"

"Enduring peace can't be forged over the course of one or two wars, I suppose," said Kakashi with a shrug. He got up to leave with a sigh. "The Third has seen three of them by now, and what I've heard from him is that we live in times of unprecedented peace. Perhaps Sayaka will be the last Uchiha who needs to fight at such a young age."

"One can only hope," said Kagami. "Keep an eye on her, Hatake."

"I will," said Kakashi, before vanishing in a swirl of wind.

* * *

"I will admit that I liked your skirts better," said Hiroyo as she stepped back to get a good look at Sayaka. "But even so, it is a good look for you, Sayaka."

A week had passed swiftly and Sayaka had taken delivery of her new clothes just moments ago. Mayako and her mother—or was it better to say Mayako's mother and Mayako?—did excellent work, and it was a shame they didn't get more business.

Sayaka had asked for all her clothes to be dyed black. Each of the shirts had a coin-sized Uchiha fan embroidered on the back, just below the collar. The leggings had been a good choice—loose enough that she could move easily but tight enough that she could strap on and access her kunai holster without interference.

"Maybe too dark," Sayaka said as she looked at herself in the mirror, holding her arms up to test the range of motion. The shirts did ride up slightly, but it was probably inevitable and it wasn't enough to really matter.

"A little color wouldn't go amiss," Hiroyo agreed. "We'll find something that works for you during the Moon Viewing Festival."

"I'll be away on mission," said Sayaka.

"Oh, that's right," said Hiroyo, shaking her head with a sigh. "We'll go looking when you get back then. Maybe earrings? A girl your age should have a bauble or two."

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "If you say so. What time is it?"

Hiroyo glanced back at the clock. "Almost time to go get your next mission. Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes, Hiroyo," said Sayaka, rolling her eyes again. "You've asked me twice already."

"Well of course I have," said Hiroyo. She pulled Sayaka into a hug, to Sayaka's chagrin. "I worry about you, Sayaka."

Sayaka grimaced and sighed, but allowed Hiroyo to hold her for a long while. She felt ready, but, well, it wasn't like her last mission had gone all that well. Hopefully this time would be different, but all things considered…

Well. No point overthinking it. She would just have to do her job.

Hiroyo sighed. "Go on then, Sayaka," she said and tucked a lock of hair behind Sayaka's ear. "I know you'll make me proud."

Sayaka swallowed and nodded. "Of course."

She left through the front of the apartment and walked down the stairs to the street. She nodded at her neighbors and made her way down to the main thoroughfare, where the traffic was as heavy as it always was, if not a little heavier than usual. A pain to walk through.

Well what was she, a ninja? Sayaka turned, walked a short distance down an alleyway, and jumped up to the rooftops.

It had been a long time since Team Seven had last left the village. It was halfway through the month of September already, but it felt like time had stretched on and on, without even that much training to occupy Sayaka's time. Konoha had spent that time preparing to take on Gato, and rumors abounded across the village about what had happened, what was happening, and what was going to happen. The only really reliable information was that Senfuku was settling down. It was counterintuitive, but Konoha had elected to try and make things a little quieter in the weeks that had followed the explosive ending of Team Seven's last mission. Despite the brief increase in tension, everything indicated that Gato's criminal empire was slowly allowing itself to relax, believing that they had overreacted, and that Konoha and the Land of Fire would not actually be responding with more than a slap on the wrist.

How wrong they were.

From what Kakashi had discussed during team training, Team Seven would be participating in Konoha's main offensive. The specifics of what that meant would not be revealed until they got to Senfuku, and they needed to get an official mission assignment before they left, but Konoha was dedicating tremendous resources to the problem and it was the only assignment that made any sense. It would probably be a B-rank, like their last one, and probably involve no small amount of danger.

That was good. Sayaka felt herself grin as she jumped off of a roof to land at the foot of the Hokage's tower. There were some nerves, yes, but far greater was her feeling of anticipation, and of pride. Her training maybe wasn't going so well, but Team Seven was getting another important mission, finally, and she relished the chance to do something meaningful and significant. She wanted to prove herself, not just to people close to her, but to the whole world. The Uchiha Clan was small, but it was powerful, and she would show everyone just how powerful it was.

* * *

"Two B-ranks in a row is pretty unusual for a genin team," said Sarutobi Hanako, overall operational commander for the ninja forces operating in Senfuku. "Are you sure your team is ready, Hatake-san?"

"We are," said Kakashi firmly. Team Seven was standing at parade rest in Lord Hayashi's barracks after a three-day run back to Senfuku. There had only been a few minutes to drop off their equipment in the four-bunk room they were sharing before they reported to the operational center that Konoha had set up in the lower levels of Hayashi Castle.

Sarutobi Hanako looked the team over, gaze piercing. She was a grizzled old jounin who had fought as a chunin for much of the last war, been promoted and led the fight for the last year of the conflict, survived the Kyuubi attack, and gone on to serve with distinction in the decade since. It was obvious to the genin that she and Kakashi shared a certain amount of history, but whether that was good or bad was not clear.

A moment passed where the only sound was the command staff shuffling papers and finishing the planning for the upcoming operation.

"Alright," said Hanako. "You've heard this before, Hatake, but you kids haven't so listen up. Since this is your first mission of this type, I want to be absolutely clear that teamwork and cooperation outweigh everything else for line combat teams. You'll be spending most of your time working with samurai and ashigaru, and when that's not happening you'll be coordinating strikes with fellow squads. Social ranking and clan politics are irrelevant out on the battlefield, at least as long as I'm in command of this operation. Now I don't expect it to be a problem from you guys, but if anyone _else_ tries to pull any stunts, you come straight to me or to Lord Hayashi so that I can skin the bastard. Clear?"

Team Seven nodded. "Clear, ma'am!"

"Good. You'd think that after three damned wars fighting this way, people would get it through their skulls, but I have to give this speech every time I'm running an op," Hanako said with a scowl. "Make sure you apply the same policy to samurai and ashigaru—you don't outrank anyone out there unless I put you explicitly in their chain of command. That means that you don't get to order anyone around, and support requests get routed through your field controller. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Outstanding. I'm slotting you in as a pursuit squad. Have you been briefed yet on what that means?"

To everyone's surprise, Naruto stepped forward. "I have, ma'am."

Hanako nodded. "Explain for your team."

"A pursuit squad is a type of line combat team assigned to units of samurai and ashigaru and is responsible for screening other shinobi squads from interference as a result of enemy action, or leading attacks on incoming enemy shinobi squads," Naruto recited. "In addition, pursuit squads usually provide the majority of on-demand offensive ninja support for ashigaru and samurai forces. This contrasts with attack squads, which usually have specific tasks to fulfill in support of broader tactical and strategic objectives, as defined by the operational commander."

"Well explained," said Hanako, and Naruto stepped back into line. Sayaka couldn't restrain herself from shooting him a look of utter astonishment, and Naruto flashed back a bright smile.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" his grin said.

"It was v-very impressive," Hinata said with a glance and a smile.

"Pay attention," Kakashi sent with a glare.

Team Seven quickly focused back on Hanako, who was giving them all an unimpressed look. "Should I be concerned that this is surprising?" her raised eyebrow seemed to say.

The genin all averted their eyes, embarrassed. Kakashi restrained a sigh. They were very good, but they were still very young.

"Moving along," said Hanako. "You'll be assigned to Amber Sector, under the supervision of Hanamura Taketo. Specific tactical directives will come from him. The broader strategic situation looks like this—" Hanako gestured at a massive map of the city that had been pinned to the wall, apparently generated at amazing levels of detail to the point that individual buildings had been rendered out "—and as you can see Amber Sector is central to our line of action and has the highest concentration of enemy forces. The sector incorporates a large section of waterfront, where a large proportion of the vessels we know are pirate-affiliated are moored."

The entire waterfront had, in fact, been labeled as a free-kill zone, meaning that effectively no civilians were in the area. _How_ Gato had achieved such level of infiltration wasn't terribly relevant, at least for now, but evidently everyone who worked in this sector of the waterfront either was directly employed by Gato or was integral to the operation of his empire. Fortunately, it appeared to be the only sector on the map where the infiltration had been so total.

"This sector is also bordered by the city's substantial red-light district, for our purposes known as Garnet Sector," said Hanako, pointing out Amber Sector's southern border. "It is expected that as the battle evolves, the pirates and ronin under Gato's command will try to rally in Amber Sector, but will revert to Garnet Sector if Amber is not available. This sector is necessarily harder to defend, and so we hope to bottle the enemy up into this area and either force a surrender or ensure that they can be easily eradicated."

Sayaka nodded to herself. That made sense. Brothels and teashops were hardly as fortifiable as actual ships or the large, stone buildings in Amber Sector.

"Your broad strategic objective, then, is to make sure that Amber Sector is denied to enemy forces. Destruction of enemy weapons and staging areas will be carried out by attack squads assigned to your sector in the opening phases of this operation. After that, Hayashi forces should be moving into your sector to fortify the area. Team Seven will be expected to provide support to the initial attack and fortification efforts, as well as help neutralize any ninja that try to interfere. Any questions?"

Team Seven had none, at least at this level of specificity. Details would be covered by their sector commander.

"Outstanding. Report in to Taketo, get your localized briefing, and then Team Seven is on standby. Don't get in a situation where you can't be ready to go in thirty seconds or less—our timetable is shakier than I'd like and we may need to scramble you out. Dismissed."

"Ma'am!"


	12. Chapter 12

"B-rank?" asked Ino. "Is that- is that a good idea?"

Sayaka shrugged. "We trust the Hokage."

Team Ten, standing at the foot of a stack of crates at the base of the Hayashi Castle walls, glanced at each other skeptically. Sayaka rolled her eyes at them from her perch on top of the crates. Naruto and Hinata sat one level lower, on a pair of crates with a respectable distance between them and fingers just barely touching. The two teams were waiting for Team Eight to show up so they could go get dinner.

"Tch, troublesome," said Shikamaru. He ran a hand through his spiky ponytail and sighed. "I guess there's nothing to say about that."

"It still seems awfully soon," said Ino. "None of the rest of us have taken anything higher than a C-rank. We're still just running support missions at the rear."

Sayaka huffed. "Team Seven has a lot of offensive firepower. It doesn't make sense to keep us back."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed and his eyes flicked from Sayaka to Naruto, then focused on Hinata. The heir to the Hyuuga clan averted her eyes. "I suppose."

"Anyway, where's Team Eight?" asked Naruto loudly. "Dinner is going to be over soon!"

Sayaka snorted. "What are you so impatient for anyway?"

"They definitely had ramen," said Naruto seriously. "I don't know what I'll do if they're out by the time we get there."

"Do you eat anything _other_ than ramen?" Ino asked.

"Sure I do! There's onigiri, soba, udon, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, barbecue…"

"The least healthy food out there then, got it," said Ino dryly. "You're as bad as Chouji."

Chouji huffed. "I've just got good taste."

"Yeah, yeah, seriously, Chouji knows the best places in Konoha," said Naruto. "Shame I pranked like half of them before he showed me - they won't let me in."

"This shouldn't surprise me," said Sayaka with a sigh.

"Anyway, I say we go look for them," said Naruto. "Or hey, Hinata-chan, you can use your Byakugan, right?"

Hinata shook her head. "I checked a f-few minutes ago. They're n-not in the castle."

Shikamaru groaned and considered the crates. How uncomfortable could they really be? "Troublesome. I might take a nap."

"No you don't!" said Ino, grabbing at Shikamaru's arm before he could even move. "No more naps! You keep taking them!"

"So? There's nothing better to do right now."

Ino frowned, but he wasn't wrong. All the teams were on standby for the next forty-eight hours - the attack could start any time within that interval.

"Oh hey, I think I see 'em," said Naruto, squinting at the gates. "Yeah, that's them! Hey!"

Sayaka turned and spotted Kiba waving back at Naruto. Team Eight did not look like a happy team from this distance, and as they approached the reason became clear.

"Go swimming?" asked Sayaka.

"Unfortunately," said Shino. His kikaichu insects were doing an impressive job being creepy as they crawled across the surface of his jacket, flapping their wings ineffectually.

"We had to jump in the canals," Kiba groused, apparently not noticing Sayaka's change of attire. She found herself oddly disappointed and decided to try and ask him about it again later. "Trust Gato to have some fucking tracker nin on his payroll. Fuck."

"You guys were on mission?"

"Standard search and survey," said Sakura. She tried to wring more water out of her hair and failed. "There's more ninja out there than we thought at first, and Commander Sarutobi wanted another sweep to check what was going on."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like a C-rank mission."

Sakura shook her head. "B-rank, though sort of easy."

Team Ten made a series of noises: annoyance from Ino, anticipatory tiredness from Shikamaru, and impressed acknowledgement from Chouji.

"Asuma-sensei is going to up our training," said Shikamaru. "We're the only team not taking B-ranks now."

"Be more excited," Ino scolded, whacking Shikamaru on the shoulder. "Getting B-ranks means that we're getting good at our jobs."

Team Seven and Team Eight looked at each other. The increase in mission difficulty was not necessarily a positive - with greater responsibility came greater pressure to succeed after all. True, the missions were more interesting, but…

"Anyway, we're going to go report in," said Sakura. "Then get changed, maybe take a shower. We'll meet you guys at the dinner tent?

Sayaka nodded. "See you there."

Naruto jumped off the crates and pumped his fist. "Awesome! Time for ramen!"

* * *

There was no ramen.

There was, however, plenty of udon, and Naruto considered this to be an acceptable substitute, especially because it came with all-you-can-eat tempura.

"Tempura's the only way for vegetables to taste good," he proclaimed as he dunked a tempura zucchini into his udon bowl.

Ino rolled her eyes at him from down the table and picked daintily at her tsukemono and grilled mackerel. "You eat like a little kid, Naruto."

"I don't turn thirteen until October, I'm allowed," said Naruto, pointing with his chopsticks, as if to emphasize his supposed youth.

"That's… that's not how that works."

"That's _totally_ how that works!"

Sayaka sighed and leaned against one hand, bracing her elbow against the long communal table so that she could keep one eye on the tent flaps. Shikamaru and Chouji were quietly trying to avoid getting pulled into the slowly growing argument between Naruto and Ino, while Hinata seemed to find it all very silly and therefore humorous.

In fairness, it was a very silly argument about nothing, and Sayaka expected that Ino and Naruto were actually the type of person who found it kind of fun to be loud and noisy. She wondered if they were nervous, and this was the way they tried to get over it.

Sayaka sighed and looked down at her hands. They were still on the table. Maybe the nerves would come later, when they left to fight. Or maybe, after the mission with Fumiyo, and nearly dying, this didn't seem like that big of a deal. The briefing they'd received said nothing about A-class missing nin, and even if there were any there were plenty of jounin on hand. Sayaka could retreat safely and know that someone would cover for her.

She looked back up at the tent flap again and sighed. Where was Team Eight? It couldn't possibly take this long to deliver an intel report and take a shower.

"Is this seat taken?"

Sayaka blinked and turned, finding herself being accosted by a boy in a green jumpsuit looking very seriously at her.

"I'm saving it for someone," said Sayaka, putting a hand next to her on the bench. "Everywhere else is free though."

"Excellent," said the boy, and he leaped over the table to sit across from Sayaka. Nobody seemed to notice this. "My name is Rock Lee! I would like to spar with you when the fighting is over. Please accept my challenge!"

Sayaka looked at him, perplexed. His expression was almost disconcertingly earnest. She almost thought he was playing some convoluted prank.

"...seriously?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because everyone knows Uchiha Sayaka is the best fighter in her graduating class," said Lee. He made a fist and frowned dramatically. "I wish to challenge the best fighters and prove that I can be a splendid ninja with only taijutsu! It is only natural I would seek you out."

Sayaka drank a sip of tea. "Um. I'm flattered?"

"I do not flatter," said Lee.

"No, I mean, I understand that," said Sayaka quickly. She pinched her nose in consternation. "It's just, I don't know how to react to a challenge like this."

"Please accept!"

"This isn't some sort of insane way to try and date me right?" Sayaka asked.

"It is not," said Lee. He paused, tilting his head curiously. "Do people do that?"

"I- I'm not sure," said Sayaka. "As long as you're not trying. I'm not available, so…"

"Ah, I understand," said Lee. "However, that is not what I am interested in. Please accept my challenge!"

"Sure," said Sayaka. What a strange person. "When we get back to Konoha."

"Excellent!" said Lee with a grin full of gleaming white teeth. "Thank you very much!"

Sayaka endeavored to quickly change the topic. "So you said you wanted to, er, use only taijutsu? Why is that?"

"Ah, I cannot use ninjutsu or genjutsu," said Lee, digging into his meal. It was a rather alarmingly sized donburi. "Or more accurately, I am determined to become a splendid ninja on taijutsu alone! It is an exciting journey."

"I see," said Sayaka evenly. She tried very hard not to seem too skeptical. It seemed entirely impossible for a ninja to exist who couldn't at least do replacement.

"You do not believe me."

"It is admittedly difficult to believe."

Lee nodded. "I understand, but I will show you that it is real."

Sayaka couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "I look forward to it."

She took a moment to look at the tent flap again and frown. Jeez, the kitchen was going to actually run out of food soon. She looked at her tempura and wondered if she should save some for Kiba.

"Do you not like the tempura?" Lee asked. He shoved a large chunk of meat into his mouth as she looked up.

"It's fine," said Sayaka. "I'm just… I might save some for later."

Lee made a noise, swallowed, choked, and hurriedly gulped some tea before speaking. "You should not do that," he said. "It is better to eat a full meal, and then have a protein shake or nutrient bar later if needed."

Sayaka shook her head. "It's not like that. It's just my boyfriend-" saying that outloud made her stomach swoop unnecessarily "-got back late from a mission, and I don't want him to miss dinner."

"Ah, here," said Lee, and he dug in his waist pouch before producing two carefully wrapped bars. Sayaka took them, nonplussed, and was a little stunned by how heavy they were. Going just by their size, she would have thought they'd be half the weight. "These are the special nutrient bars that I use for training. Each is a full meal, but if he is coming back from a mission he may have missed one."

"Thank you," said Sayaka, she held them up to inspect the packaging. It was plain paper that had been wrapped as tightly as possible to the surface of the bar, then sealed with beeswax. A small label had been affixed over the seam of the wrapper, detailing the contents and name of the manufacturer. Sayaka narrowed her eyes. "Hold on, this is from that apothecary in the Western Shops district. Isn't he incredibly expensive?"

"But very effective," said Lee.

"I can't accept these," Sayaka protested, though she admitted to herself that she was doing so only because that was the way she had been taught. The truth was, she had been wanting to try out some of the training supplements from that apothecary, but the sticker shock from a package of twelve bars had made her consider other plans.

"It is not a problem," said Lee, waving his hand. "I run D-rank missions for Wu-sensei, and he pays me in training supplements rather than cash. I have many bars at home."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! It would be the greatest dishonor for me not to help a fellow Konoha ninja in need," said Lee. Then he grinned. "Besides, I am a year older, and what sort of senpai would I be if I did not encourage the spring blossoms of love and companionship between my underclassmen?"

Sayaka felt her face grow hot, but stuffed the bars into her pouch. Discretion, she felt, was the better part of valor here. "W-well, thank you. I am sure they will be helpful."

"What will be?" asked Kiba. "This seat taken?"

"Ah, no, I was saving it for you," said Sayaka, starting only slightly. Jeez, she needed to remember to keep her chakra sense active when talking to other people. "Kiba, this is Rock Lee. Lee, this is Inuzuka Kiba."

"Yo," said Kiba, setting down his food and sitting down with a wave. The rest of Team Eight found seats next to Shikamaru and Chouji. Akamaru had settled in with Sakura, evidently deciding that she was the most likely source of delicious scraps.

Well, the puppy wasn't wrong. Sakura was sitting next to Chouji, who had an immense pile of meat he was working through, and who clearly felt that sharing was caring. An entire katsu pork tenderloin appeared between Akamaru's jaws, and he set to work with gusto.

Sayaka saw all this in a glance, then turned back to her own part of the table. "Good evening!" said Lee, standing briefly to bow, then sit back down before Kiba could react. Lee gave Sayaka a bright smile. "This is your boyfriend? A good catch!"

Sayaka blushed again, and Kiba shook his head ruefully. "More like the other way around, but thanks. How do you know each other?"

"Ah, Lee wanted to ask for a spar," explained Sayaka. "For when we get back to Konoha. I said yes, and we got to talking while I was waiting for you."

Sayaka saw something cross Kiba's face between blinks, but he smiled. "Is that so?" he said, and casually gave his gyudon a stir. "What're you talking about?"

"Sayaka-san was saying that she was worried you would miss dinner," said Lee. "I gave her some of my protein bars in case you did not show. Luckily, they do not seem needed."

"Ah," said Kiba around a bite of his gyudon. Sayaka glanced between the two boys and noticed Lee hide a wince before Kiba swallowed noisily. "Well, thanks for that."

"It is not a problem," said Lee. He dug into his bowl, pulling up a mouthful of rice from the bottom to mix with the topping. "Good nutrition is important to be an effective ninja. What was the mission you were on?"

"Ah, it was just a B-rank surveillance mission," said Kiba. "Command wanted an update on the enemy's force disposition. The latest briefing should be going out after dinner."

"Were there any changes?" Lee asked.

"I'm not sure, we only got here a few hours ago, but there's a lot of ninja out there," said Kiba. He stuffed another piece of beef into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "It's more than I was expecting at least, though I guess the guy debriefing me made a face like he had expected things to be this way. Didn't we see a drawdown of Gato's forces over the last few weeks?"

"Yes, but a force buildup such as ours is not invisible," said Lee. He ran his chopsticks around the rim of his bowl pensively. "Gato was sure to catch a few of the signs and redeploy a small reserve of shinobi here as a precaution. However, unless our jounin are much mistaken, that will not be caution enough! Our own force disposition can be changed to compensate."

Kiba and Sayaka glanced at each other. Well. "That explains why Team Seven is going to Amber Sector," said Kiba. "You guys can kill people pretty good, so…"

"It frees up chunin for other sectors," said Sayaka, nodding, "and if we mess up, the collateral damage will be buildings and not civilians."

"My team is being assigned to Amber as well," said Lee. "We will be working together then, Sayaka-san."

"It appears so," said Sayaka. Then, because it was polite, she bowed slightly over the table. "Please take care of me."

Lee blinked at her, then laughed awkwardly. "Ah, I am sure you will not need any taking care of," he deflected. "I am confident you are capable if our commanders assigned you to Amber Sector."

"Sayaka's pretty good, yeah," said Kiba. He picked up another piece of beef as he spoke. "Might be her taking care of _you_."

Lee laughed. "Hah! Perhaps!"

"Kiba, don't be rude to our upperclassman," Sayaka said, nudging her boyfriend in the ribs. But she felt her lips curl up at the flattery anyway, and Kiba grinned back at her unrepentantly.

"I'm sorry," said Kiba, bowing to Lee over the table. "I did not realize you were older, I should have asked."

The excuse was terrible, seeing as Sayaka had basically openly acknowledged Lee as her senpai about five seconds ago, but Lee didn't seem to mind. "Please, it is not a problem," he said quickly, slightly red in embarrassment. "We are only a year apart. You need not defer to me."

"Still, I am sure you can teach us a lot," said Sayaka. She put on a charming smile and pretended not to notice Kiba's scowl. "Maybe we can speak later? I have been having trouble with my endurance conditioning, and as a taijutsu specialist I am sure you have a lot of good tips."

"Of course!" said Lee, looking utterly delighted, though whether it was because of the chance to teach or the chance to do endurance training, Sayaka wasn't sure. "I will absolutely help my precious kouhai become better at running, or I will myself run one thousand laps around Konoha!"

Kiba and Sayaka looked askance at Lee, who had suddenly broken into a dramatic pose, eyes almost incandescent with passion.

"Please never do that," Sayaka said to Kiba using a glance and a nudge of her shoulder. "I will absolutely leave you if I have to put up with it daily."

Kiba rolled his eyes minutely, saying with the gesture: "Trust me, I'm the last person to get that fired up about _laps_."

* * *

Dinner concluded swiftly after that, with the genin teams wandering off to prepare for the coming mission and while away the hours in between. Team Seven and Team Eight visited the armory to pull weapons before they went their separate ways. Which was to say, Naruto and Hinata were almost indecorously eager to disappear, Sayaka wanted to spend time with Kiba, and Shino and Sakura felt left out of everything.

"We should date," Sakura said to Shino.

"We should?" Shino asked, alarmed.

"We may as well," Sakura said grumpily. "Literally everyone else is. At this point it's almost a fashion statement more than anything else."

Shino was silent for a long moment.

"I do not think that is how that works."

"Sure it is," said Sakura, and she looped an arm through Shino's to drag him off. "Come on, I'm sure _Sayaka and Kiba_ want us to leave them alone."

Shino's face was obscured behind his high collar, but the look he sent Kiba clearly said "if you don't make good use of my suffering, I will put spiders in your underwear". Well, Kiba was happy to oblige, but the circumstances made things a little hard. He and Sayaka weren't like Hinata and Naruto, who apparently could find ways to enjoy being around each other in the most dull of situations. Though, part of that was because the two of them, Sayaka and Kiba, hadn't actually managed to get much time to spend together yet.

"I'll leave you alone too," Akamaru yipped to Kiba, or at least that's what Sakura assumed, because Kiba rolled his eyes at his dog as it scampered off to join Sakura and Shino. Sayaka appreciated the gesture, but felt at a bit of a loss. Hayashi Castle had little to offer in terms of couples activities. It _was_ a working military encampment, after all. In the end, the two of them wandered into the garden where Sayaka had been practicing her chakra control after the near-disaster of her last mission.

"We really need to find some time to hang out for real," Kiba said as they walked down the garden path. He had to admit, now that they were in the garden, it was actually quite nice. Without the anxiety of the last time he had been here. "Meeting up between missions like this is kind of lame."

"Yeah," said Sayaka. The setting sun was doing interesting things as it filtered through the bamboo stands lining the path. "Sorry. It's been busy."

"Anything new with you?"

"I apparently have battle fatigue."

Kiba's eyebrows went up. "What, from your last mission?"

"Yeah. Nearly lit Shikamaru on fire."

"Shit."

"Mm. Sensei has me going to a counselor about it."

Kiba gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. "You don't sound happy about that."

Sayaka scowled. "It's boring, and I'd rather be training."

Kiba snorted. "That's a shock."

Sayaka whacked him gently on the shoulder with a small smile. "I don't like talking about feelings."

"Uh huh. But you're fine talking about talking about marriage stuff?"

"_That_ is different," said Sayaka, rolling her eyes.

"If you say so," said Kiba skeptically. "But you know, if we're going to go the distance as a couple, we ought to talk about our feelings."

Sayaka grimaced. "I guess? Who says that?"

"Er, well, my mom and older sister lecture me about this stuff all the time," said Kiba. He shoved his hands into his pockets, flushing a little in embarrassment. "They seem to think it's important for being a good husband, or something."

Sayaka snorted. It was somehow not that surprising that the Inuzuka Matriarch had those sorts of opinions. "Trying to be as opposite as the Hyuuga as you can, huh?"

"_Nobody_ oughta be that kind of uptight," said Kiba grimly. "Er, no offense to Hinata, but she's, like, the exception, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," said Sayaka. She wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't make _feelings_ something I like talking about."

Kiba looked up at the tree branches that stretched out overhead. "I mean, that sort of thing seems fine to me. It's like how you debrief after a sparring round, you know?"

Sayaka pursed her lips. "I guess that's why my counselor said to treat the sessions like training?"

"Yeah, probably," said Kiba. "I dunno, it's just what my mom says."

"Does she say anything else?"

"A lot of stuff about babies," said Kiba with a flat look. "Seriously, why does she have to be like that? Is it a girl thing?"

Sayaka laughed and bumped shoulders with him. "A little, but I think your mom's worse than most."

Kiba snorted. "Wouldn't surprise me, but anyway. What else is new?"

"Well so, I went shopping," said Sayaka, obliging Kiba with a change of topic. "I decided I wanted a new look."

"I noticed," Kiba lied.

"You didn't say anything earlier," said Sayaka, glancing over at him out of the corner of her eye as they rounded a corner to a T-intersection. A stone retaining wall held back a mound of dirt with several fruit trees, limbs heavy with nearly-ripe fruit, growing atop it.

"Well, er, I guess I wasn't paying _that_ much attention," said Kiba. He paused to look her over. "It looks nice on you."

"You think so?" Sayaka asked, and she raised her arms to examine them. "I'm not sure about the long sleeves. I thought I might do arm warmers instead."

Kiba's eyes flicked to her midriff, where the underlayer lay close to the skin and was exposed by Sayaka's arm motion, then back up to her eyes. "Uh… uh huh."

Sayaka caught the glance and made a face. "You're thinking something lewd, aren't you?"

"Not at all," said Kiba casually. He looked away to hide a blush. "I was just thinking it seemed natural on you, compared to skirts. When did you stop wearing pants anyway?"

"Dunno, something like a year before we graduated?" Sayaka said. She picked at the hem of her shirt, frowning. "Why? Do you like it when I wear pants like this instead of skirts?"

"Er, skirts are nice too," said Kiba. The sudden pivot towards clothes put him on the back foot. "I think you look pretty no matter what you're wearing, to be honest."

Useless boy. "Uh huh. Ino says I have the 'dangerous kunoichi aesthetic'. What do you think, do you agree?"

"That's an aesthetic?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah, like in manga, when the heroine is a fighting kunoichi," said Sayaka.

"I uh, I think we read different manga," said Kiba, brow pinching to think. Did any of the manga he usually read have that sort of thing? He was pretty sure they didn't.

"Really? You don't read the _Karuido _manga?"

"Oh, you mean like _that?_" Kiba asked, and wow that was an interesting thought. "I'd say you're doing a good job then. Though, er, not enough belts."

Sayaka laughed. It was true, the main character's costume in _Karuido_ had a ridiculous number of belts. "I guess it is just a manga."

"I'm surprised you read it," said Kiba, intending to move swiftly on to new topics. "I uh, I thought you just spent all your time training?"

"Even I get tired of chakra control exercises," said Sayaka, "and you can't do physical training too much, or you just damage your muscles."

"That's true."

"Ino had a few other things to say too, you know," Sayaka continued. "She said you're supposed to hold hands if you're dating. We don't do that."

"Uh, well, you don't seem the type?" Kiba floated. He was not entirely sure where this was going. "Unless you're in a mood, I guess, but uh, we haven't really been dating for long so I don't know."

Sayaka reached out and took one of Kiba's hands. "Do you want to do things like that?" she asked. "Since we're talking about _feelings_ and all."

"Er, holding hands is nice," said Kiba, looking down at their hands then back up at Sayaka. "You don't like doing stuff publicly though, right? 'Cause of the rumor mill."

"Well, everyone knows we're dating, it's not exactly a secret," said Sayaka. She sighed and pivoted, letting herself fall against the wall next to Kiba with their hands still intertwined. "People should mind their own business."

Kiba pondered, not entirely sure what had just happened but happy to be with Sayaka all the same. "I don't think people know how to do that," he said. "Seems to be part of the human condition."

Sayaka snorted. "What about dogs, do they gossip?"

"Oh gods yes," said Kiba, rolling his eyes. "Akamaru can spend _days_ telling me about the latest gossip. You're lucky only Inuzuka can talk to him."

"That's a little disturbing," said Sayaka.

"It's the reason why the Inuzuka do so much intel and tracking work, you know."

"Gossipy dogs, huh," said Sayaka. "What do they say about us?"

"Apparently I'm super oblivious and should be more of a man about this whole thing," Kiba said blandly. "I should show you how much you mean to me by bringing you dead animals."

"...Dead animals?"

"Yeah, like, you know, that I hunted," said Kiba. He looked down at his feet, scuffing the dirt a little with his toe. "The older dogs say it's great for a romantic dinner."

Sayaka was silent for a moment. "...I can see how that might be nice."

"...do you want me to?" asked Kiba, turning to regard her with a strange expression.

"Mm," said Sayaka thoughtfully. "Not really, it's hard to find the time anyway."

"Alright good," said Kiba, leaning back with a sigh. "I'm not actually that good of a hunter."

"Really? You're a good scent tracker aren't you?"

"Nah, Inuzuka sense of smell is kind of overblown," said Kiba with an easy shrug. "We _are _better than normal people, but it doesn't compare to a dog or a wolf. My scent tracking is actually a clan technique."

"What does 'better' let you smell?"

"Well, blood's easy," said Kiba. He scratched his nose, thinking. "Especially if you've been stabbed or something. There's a lot of it, so it's easy to track. Gunpowder and smoke too. Can't track knife oil or anything like that, though I can ID people based on their smell."

"How does that work?"

"Well, everyone's got little habits that impact how they smell," Kiba explained. "So, like, Naruto smells like instant ramen, mildew, and dirt. You can kind of tell that all he does is eat instant ramen and he probably doesn't keep either his kitchen or his bathroom as clean as he should."

Sayaka considered this. It was true that Naruto ate way too much instant ramen, and she had serious questions about how sanitary his kitchen was the last time she had popped her head in, but the dirt perplexed her.

"What does the dirt mean?"

"No idea," said Kiba, shrugging. "I mean, he trains a lot right? So maybe he's just taking naps? But you'd think all of that would wash off in the laundry."

Sayaka considered this, then frowned. "Wait, does this mean that Naruto doesn't do his laundry?"

Kiba looked alarmed at possibly accidentally causing a fellow boy problems. "Er, I wouldn't say that? I'm just a genin, you'd have to ask my sister or someone else older. I might just be getting it mixed up with your scent."

There was a moment where they both processed that line.

"I smell like _dirt?_" Sayaka asked, letting go of his hand to round on him.

"Not in a bad way!" Kiba said quickly, raising his hands in surrender. "I uh, let me explain."

Sayaka pointed an indignant finger at him. "You better."

"It's just that you have lots of long hair and use the standard-issue field shampoo, which is scented like dirt from Fire Country," said Kiba quickly. "It's kind of nice, actually, because Sakura likes to use this flowery shampoo, and you get sick of it pretty quick."

"Wait, hold on," said Sayaka, holding her hand out to stop him as she thought, "if Sakura uses a flowery shampoo, what stops other ninja from finding her?"

"Oh she just has to rub some dirt in it on mission, it's fine," said Kiba with a dismissive wave of his hand. "If anything it's better since you get the local scent on you. _Your _hair would stand out in, I dunno, Lightning Country."

Sayaka blinked very slowly at him as she processed this. It had never occurred to her that scent masking could be this complicated.

"Okay," she said. "Then doesn't that mean Naruto might just use the same shampoo as me?"

"Yeah, maybe," said Kiba with a shrug. "Look man, I'm not going to go around sniffing everyone's hair. You and Sakura are the only girls I've memorized like that."

"What about Kurenai-sensei?"

"Oh right, her too."

Sayaka sniffed and thought over the new information she had been presented.

"You said you memorized my smell?" Sayaka asked slowly.

Kiba was wary. "Yeah?"

"What else do I smell like?"

"Other than dirt?" Kiba said. His brow furrowed, and he was silent for a moment as he tried to put it into words. "I dunno, honestly, it's hard to describe. Your shampoo stands out because it's supposed to stick around to try and mask other scents, but up close I can smell the detergent you use for your clothes and the soap you use when you shower. Those tend to fade though, and, er-"

Kiba came to a sudden stop and went a little red. Sayaka raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Well, er, did you know, the way people sweat is probably their most distinctive scent?" Kiba said. "So, uh, I can tell if it's you based on that."

"My sweat huh," said Sayaka. She folded her arms and regarded Kiba through narrowed eyes. "I feel like there's other things you're not saying."

"W-well, er, it's sort of embarrassing," said Kiba, looking away and going more red. "I- I mean, look, the human body isn't exactly pristine, okay? There's a lot of stuff that happens and if you spend a lot of time around someone you notice specifics. Everyone's different and all that, you know?"

Sayaka did not really know, but she suspected that she wasn't going to get any more out of Kiba. "...Alright then. I guess that's fine."

"Oh thank the gods," sighed Kiba. He pressed his palms up against his eyes and slumped against the retaining wall. "Let's not talk about that again, okay? I'm a ninja not a damn doctor."

Sayaka huffed and looked down at the ground. Kiba shoved his hands in his pockets as an awkward silence fell. He had probably creeped Sayaka out, talking about all of that. Too much information all at once. But what was he supposed to do? It wasn't like you could lie about-

Kiba was suddenly very aware of Sayaka being inside his personal space. He started to turn towards her.

"What-?"

Sayaka kissed him, once, on the cheek. It was a little rushed, like she'd decided to do it on some kind of impulse. A moment of contact, nothing more, and then Sayaka had pulled away.

Kiba spluttered. "W-what was that for?"

"Thanks for being honest," said Sayaka, turning away quickly and starting to flush. "It was a little awkward for you, I'm sorry."

Kiba blinked at her as Sayaka looked down at the ground while fiddling with her fingers. It never failed to surprise Kiba that the ice-cold Uchiha-hime could be so vulnerable, and it made him feel squidgy inside knowing that she only did it around _him_.

"So you like that sort of thing huh," Kiba said.

"...it's interesting," said Sayaka, flushing a little more. "We should remember to train together, and you can teach me about scent masking."

Kiba grinned broadly. "Alright, I can help with that."

He stepped forward and took Sayaka's hand, still grinning, and felt his heart jump when Sayaka smiled back. He was _so_ lucky.

* * *

Night fell.

Sayaka and Kiba had reappeared from their walk while the sun was still well above the horizon and rejoined their teams at a respectable time. Meanwhile, Naruto and Hinata had re-emerged just before mission curfew in a way that Sayaka found highly suspicious. She found herself wondering if it was wise leaving the inventor of the Sexy Jutsu around a girl like Hinata.

Then Sayaka thought about what she was doing and decided she was turning into Hiroyo, and this was entirely unacceptable.

The team was confined to their room during curfew, except for things like going to the bathroom. The barracks were clearly intended for men, with only a single set of bathrooms and showers for everyone to use. As the ashigaru had all been cleared out into other barracks, this wasn't a big deal, at least for the older ninja. The war hadn't exactly allowed such luxuries as divided bathing, and especially not when the bathing space was actually just the nearest river. The genin found it all a little shocking, but followed their elders' leads in getting their business done and over with as quickly as possible. Getting caught in the bath was a terrible way to go, but, more importantly, rumors had spread that the offensive would start that evening.

Team Seven got in and got out of the baths quickly to clear space for the next team. Many teams weren't even bothering, and simply washed their faces and ran their hair under some tap water to freshen up enough not to lose focus in combat. Others, like Team Eight, were being made to head back out again, much to their annoyance.

"It won't matter much after a few days," Kurenai had said when Team Seven had run across them on the way back to their room. She was tying up her hair into a bun, with Sakura followed suit and looking grouchy. "The big problem is acne, but I know a few good brands for you to use, Sakura."

"Oh gods," Sakura groaned. "Ugh, let's go get this over with."

The rest of the night was spent waiting. By unspoken convention, Kakashi and Naruto were bunking on one side of the room while Sayaka and Hinata bunked on the other. Kakashi was on the bottom, Naruto on top, and while this seemed fantastic at first, Naruto quickly realized that the light from the solitary ceiling lamp was very bad from his angle.

"Move over, sensei," Naruto said, poking at Kakashi's head with a bare foot. "Let me sit with you so I can read."

"Maa maa, you should have thought of that before taking the top bunk," said Kakashi, apparently unmoved.

Naruto poked harder. "Sennnseiiii."

"Fine."

Hinata giggled at Naruto's antics as she braided Sayaka's hair into a tight pattern to keep it secure in combat. The two girls were sitting on the bottom bunk, Hinata's, facing the door with their legs crossed to enable the braiding. A mirror hung on the wall next to the door, and Sayaka could see in it the way Hinata's smile fell as she worked her way down Sayaka's back.

"Are you alright?" Sayaka said quietly.

"I am a-alright," said Hinata.

"You don't seem to be."

Hinata pressed her lips together in an attempt at a reassuring smile, but failed. Caught, she made a small sigh. "It is a l-little frightening."

"Worse than Zabuza?"

Hinata nodded, fingers still deftly weaving the strands of Sayaka's hair together. "F-fighting defensively isn't so bad, but here, if I m-make a mistake, it has m-much bigger consequences."

Sayaka reached back and put a hand on Hinata's knee. "You'll be fine," she said. "We're in a free-kill zone, remember? If you mess up, we can take care of it. It's easy."

Hinata swallowed. "T-that's the other thing. I… I don't know if I can k-k-kill someone."

Sayaka went still, and wondered. In truth she hadn't ever done it either. The only people on their team who had…

Sayaka and Hinata turned at the same time to look at Naruto and Kakashi. Naruto was deeply engrossed in whatever novel it was that Kakashi had suggested to him. He had curled up against Kakashi's side like a little kid, and the jounin had obligingly plopped his elbow on top of Naruto's head to use as an armrest. If it weren't for their completely different features, they would look like a pair of siblings spending time together.

"Let's not think about it too much," said Sayaka, turning away and looking down at her feet. "Remember Zabuza? Naruto would have hit him perfectly. It'll probably be the same for us."

Hinata frowned and twined another set of strands together. "Perhaps."

Sayaka glanced up at Hinata through the mirror. The girl looked very pale.

"The H-Hyuuga clan has always been known for its p-prowess in combat," Hinata said quietly. She tied off the end of Sayaka's braid with a piece of string. "As heir…"

Sayaka pulled her braid around to fiddle with the end. The string was dyed black, so it wouldn't stand out when she went out.

"The Uchiha are the same," Sayaka said. She breathed in, held it, then breathed out. "I…"

"You'll be fine," said Kakashi. He hadn't looked up from his book, but Naruto had, sitting up to look at his team more carefully. Kakashi turned the page and continued: "Trust in your training. You three train more than any other genin team of your year."

"It might not be enough," said Sayaka. "Or we might have trained the wrong things."

"Maybe," said Kakashi. He looked over his book at her, then slid his eyes over to Naruto, "but it's like you said, Naruto did it perfectly. You two taught him a lot, didn't you? I don't think you'll have a problem. The muscle memory is there, and your training has made sure that even if your mind doesn't keep up, your body will. You will be fine."

Naruto looked down at his book, expression mixed.

"When we're on mission, it doesn't matter what legacy you have to live up to, and it doesn't matter what others expect from you," Kakashi continued, remaining in his slouch as he looked back to Sayaka and Hinata. "Right now, you are part of Team Seven, which has been assigned with supporting other combat operations in Amber Sector. You have trained to do this job, and you will succeed. I have total faith in all of you."

Hinata's smile was wobbly, and Sayaka looked down at her hands. She clenched them.

"Do you have another book, sensei?" Sayaka asked. "I… could use a distraction."

Kakashi nodded. "What do you like?"

* * *

They fell asleep.

It was expected, even encouraged, and not just for genin. The old jounin all said that sleep was rare when you went to war, and that you needed to crash whenever and wherever you could. They turned the light out and lay for what seemed an interminable amount of time that was actually only a few minutes, dressed all in their mission gear, ready to deploy. Sayaka felt wide awake as she looked at the ceiling.

But then, as if between blinks, she was jerking upright to the sound of a knock at the door. A moment later it opened to a chunin holding a bag.

"Ready up."

It was absurdly early in the morning, and only Kakashi returned to alertness without issue.

"You need any stims?" the chunin asked as the genin roused themselves. Naruto's groan was like the sound of the dead.

Kakashi looked around the room. "A few oral ones only, I think," he said. "The weak ones. The kids won't need much."

The chunin fished around in the bag and handed Kakashi six small paper sleeves, tightly folded and tied off. "Here you go, Hatake-san. Go time in thirty minutes - meet at the East Gate."

"Understood."

The chunin moved on, leaving Team Seven to wipe the sleep from their eyes and adjust their clothes. As they finished, Kakashi silently handed them each a packet.

"It's bitter," he warned as Naruto went to tear off the top. "It's a powder so that it dissolves faster, but it also makes it taste terrible. Be prepared."

Naruto nodded, then poured the packet into his mouth. His face went through a wide progression of disgusted expressions as he hurriedly swallowed, then took a pull from his canteen to rinse his mouth out.

"Ugh," he groaned as he swallowed the last of the stim, then wiped his mouth. "Gods, that's terrible."

"Works well though," said Kakashi as Hinata took her own stimulant pack and grimaced.

"I guess," said Naruto, and he shivered as the stims hit his bloodstream. "Phew. That's a rush."

"Are you all stocked up?" Kakashi asked as Sayaka downed her stim.

Team Seven nodded, Sayaka needing a moment to process the intense bitterness.

"Alright, let's get moving."

They headed out into the night, quiet in the darkness and the humidity of nighttime near the ocean. Their sector commander, Hanamura Taketo, was waiting for them at the East Gate.

"Team Seven, reporting in," said Kakashi.

"Right," said Taketo. He flipped through a clipboard quickly, then nodded. "Right, Team Seven, proceed to rally point delta and interface with Redbird Squad. You'll be providing pursuit sweep and advance sensing alongside Team Gai."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Gai's team huh."

"Yes? Is there a problem?"

"No," said Kakashi. He sighed. "Old rivalry between me and Gai is all. I hope he doesn't bring it up."

Taketo snorted. "Right, I heard about that. It won't impact your mission."

"Shouldn't."

"Move out then."

Kakashi nodded. "Team, on me."

They moved. Rally point delta was a grove of willow trees near one of the main canals that ran through the center of Senfuku. The grove stood across from a tea shop, the reputable kind, not the sort in the red light district, with lamps that hung still in the dead night air. The ground sloped down towards the canal, which was wide enough to accomodate two small barges passing each other with goods for the businesses and workshops that populated that part of Senfuku. Team Seven came to a halt just outside the rally point and walked the rest of the way, ignoring the sentry and pushing aside the drooping fronds of willow leaves.

All except for Hinata, who lingered outside the curtain of leaves. Sayaka paused too, looking back, and saw HInata's face turn apprehensive, even fearful.

"Come on," Sayaka said. Hinata took a deep breath before nodding and stepping forward.

"Kakashi," greeted a tall man in a green jumpsuit, with a smile that would have been blinding in full sunlight. "Looks like it's you and me again, isn't it? Been a while since we could-"

"Not today Gai," said Kakashi, sighing. "Please. It's my team's first mission like this."

Gai's expression changed to something very solemn. "I understand."

"Sayaka-san," said Lee, waving at Sayaka from near two trees. "It is good to see you."

"Lee-san," said Sayaka, bowing. "This is your team?"

"Yes! This is Tenten," said Lee, gesturing at a girl in a pink qipao-blouse, hair done up in buns, and her belt racked up with scrolls, "and this is Neji."

Sayaka looked up at where Lee was pointing to a boy in the tree, apparently meditating until she saw the veins around his eyes. A Hyuuga then, and apparently pulling duty as the second sentry.

"We should, ah, leave Neji alone," Lee said quietly, edging away to a different part of the grove with Tenten. "He does not like mornings."

"I heard that," Neji said, voice like ice, and Lee winced.

"Anyway," said Tenten, hurrying them along. "Uchiha Sayaka right? It's nice to meet you."

She stuck out a hand, and Sayaka shook it.

"Wire work?" Tenten asked, and Sayaka looked at her with surprise. Tenten grinned at her. "I can tell by your calluses. I have them too. Can't find any gloves either, huh?"

Sayaka shook her head, smiling slightly. "Maybe we'll get a bonus after this mission."

"Hah! We can hope. This is your team?"

Sayaka nodded. "Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata," she said, gesturing. Naruto grinned and waved, and Hinata dipped into a small bow.

"Two Hyuuga will be good to have," said Lee. "It is a lot of territory to cover with just two teams."

"Technically three, if you split off our sensei," said Tenten. "What's your team's specialty?"

Team Seven looked at each other. "Specialty?"

"Yeah," said Tenten. She tilted her head at them. "You know, like, Team Gai specializes in kinetic assault, since we have three taijutsu specialists and I'm a weapons specialist."

Team Seven looked at each other again, perplexed. "Um, I don't think we're like that," Naruto said. "Uh, I have a new bloodline limit I guess? And Hinata-chan's Byakugan is pretty useful, and so is Sayaka's Sharingan, so uh, I guess we're the same?"

"But, if you're a pursuit squad, you should have a specialization by now," said Tenten. She looked very confused. "You've done this before haven't you?"

"Ah, I never said, but this is actually Team Seven's first mission of this type," said Lee quickly. "Kakashi-sensei mentioned it earlier, but we were talking."

"Oh," said Tenten simply. "Well then."

"We can do our job," said Sayaka.

"Of course," said Tenten. She put on a smile that seemed strained. "Commander Sarutobi wouldn't send you out if you couldn't. We'll be depending on you, okay?"

Team Seven nodded. Tenten wasn't very good at hiding her expression, and they could all tell she doubted their abilities. But there wasn't anything they could do except prove her wrong, and so Sayaka tried to change the topic.

"What sort of weapons do you use, Tenten?" she asked. "You mentioned wire work?"

"Oh, yes, I do that and a lot of others too," Tenten replied. She pulled a scroll out of its clip on her belt to show Sayaka. "I mostly pull stuff out of my scrolls. You can do a lot of work with a sealing scroll full of kanabo attached to wire, you know?"

Sayaka raised her eyebrows. "You do that with _kanabo?_"

"What's a kanabo?" asked Naruto

"A kanabo's a kind of mace," said Tenten. Naruto looked at her blankly. "Er, it's a metal stick with spikes on the end."

"Ohhh. How big is it?"

"Usual size is about a meter and a half," said Tenten, "and weight's about two kilos."

"Tenten is extremely strong," said Lee proudly. "Opponents often underestimate her because she wears pretty clothes, but I have seen her strangle men three times her size!"

"That was only once," said Tenten, flushing and ducking her head. "I don't usually need to do those things…"

"Ah, but you can Tenten, and that is why I am so proud to be your teammate!"

Sayaka looked down at her fingers, flexing them and wondering. How in the world could you maneuver a kanabo on ninja wire, much less more than one? The weight alone would pull the wire through your skin…

"You use the thin stuff, right?" Tenten asked, as if she could hear Sayaka's thoughts. Sayaka looked up and nodded. "Yeah, that's good for assassination, but you should try out the three millimeter wire. It's a lot stiffer, so it's harder to work with for shurikenjutsu, but it conducts chakra better and is easier on the hands. Mind you, it still hurts with the heavier weights, but in my opinion you can't beat it for weapons manipulation. Just switch to using bigger shuriken and you'll be fine."

"I'd need to carry scrolls like you, wouldn't I?" asked Sayaka.

Tenten nodded. "Sure, but it just takes some practice. You're a genius like Neji, so you'll get there in no time."

Sayaka raised an eyebrow and looked over at the tree that Neji was still perched in. "A genius?"

"Of the Hyuuga Clan," Hinata said. She looked over as well, apprehensive. "N-Neji-niisan is the most talented u-user of the Byakugan in g-generations. He is m-much better than me in… in everything."

Naruto scoffed. "Tch, he doesn't look so tough. Bet you I could take him."

Hinata shook her head and put a hand on Naruto's arm. "Do not."

Naruto subsided, looking mutinous at first but acceding to Hinata's request.

"What's his problem anyway?" Naruto asked. "If Neji's a Hyuuga, he should show his respect to his clan heir."

"I do not expect my f-family to show me such deference," Hinata said. He sighed. "We… Neji-niisan is my cousin. His father and m-mine were brothers. Twins."

Naruto's eyebrows went up very fast. For a second, Sayaka thought he was going to blurt out something rude and unwise. Surprise turned to shock turned to pity before Naruto turned his eyes to the ground, lips pressed tightly together. He stood quietly for several seconds.

"Yeah, I- that's fair I guess," he finally said. "I uh… sorry for bringing it up."

"It is nothing," Hinata said quietly.

Hardly nothing, Sayaka thought to herself. Not, at least, for Naruto, who had a famous capacity for putting his foot in his mouth. If he really was interested in Hinata - really wanted to pursue her romantically - he would need to learn a thing or two about the history between her and her cousin.

The trouble was, it wasn't clear what that history exactly was. There had been an incident years ago, now called "the Hyuuga Affair", where a member of a peace delegation from Hidden Cloud had tried to kidnap Hinata. The attack had failed, the kidnapper killed by Hinata's father, Hiashi.

So far, so much common knowledge, but it lacked any real details, especially about the aftermath. How had peace negotiations still concluded successfully in the wake of such an event? Why was it that Neji's father, Hiashi's twin from the Branch House, had ended up dead as well, mourned afterward in a short, private funeral that Hiashi had not attended in order, supposedly, to care for his daughter?

Konoha's public didn't seem to find such questions interesting, and maybe that was fine. But it wouldn't be fine for Naruto, who wanted to be close to Hinata. Nor would it be fine for Sayaka as, barring something truly catastrophic, it seemed that Hiashi had successfully forged an alliance between the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans through Sayaka and Hinata's friendship. Neji's constant, visible anger and disdain for Hinata surely arose from deep, traumatic roots, and while that made Sayaka feel sympathy for him, it also made him a potential threat to Hinata's life and title. Neither Naruto nor Sayaka could afford to be this close to Hinata without knowing what they were getting into.

Sayaka grimaced and licked her lips, trying to push this all out of her mind. She needed to focus on the mission for now. Thankfully, Naruto seemed to have grown some sense, so at least she didn't have to worry about that.

Then a rustle of leaves, heralding Kakashi's arrival, and Sayaka turned to look at him.

"Everything alright kids?" he asked blandly. His one eye glanced over the assembled genin. Sayaka wondered what he saw.

"Yes, sensei," said Hinata.

"Got everything you need? We have some supplies, so if you need a last minute top-up…"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Then get ready," Kakashi said. "The rest of Redbird is here, and the attack starts in five."

Hinata nodded. "Understood."


	13. Chapter 13

It was still dark when Redbird Squad moved out across the canal. The squad consisted of two pursuit teams, two attack teams, and a genjutsu specialist with dedicated escort. They were silent as they ran across the water, passing beneath bridges and through tunnels along a pre-planned path to keep from getting lost. The moon overhead shone brightly through partial cloud cover. Enough light to run by, but not so much that they would be easily spotted.

"Approaching first waypoint," called the squad leader on the radio. "Team Seven, Team Gai, status?"

"Go for the operation," said Gai.

"Go for the op," said Kakashi, and Sayaka couldn't help but glance over at Naruto and Hinata and think that she wasn't sure that was actually true.

"Roger. Command, Redbird, go for initial contact."

"Redbird, Command, proceed at your discretion."

"Affirmative command," the squad leader said. "Redbird, get ready. Waypoint on my mark in three, two, one, mark."

The waypoint was a spot where two canals intersected. The attack teams in Redbird Squad slammed to a silent stop under the cover of a bridge just before the intersection, their genjutsu specialist weaving a simple but powerful illusion to hide them. Team Seven and Team Gai continued on, then broke left and right respectively.

"Byakugan," Hinata intoned. "Targets are distributed as expected, sensei. Sentries at three, four, and five o'clock."

"Fan out and engage," Kakashi replied, and Sayaka leaped, easily clearing the canal wall on her right and landing in someone's yard. Then she leaped again, watching Hinata move for the four o'clock sentry and Naruto for the five o'clock, before focusing on her own target. It was a crossbowman, sitting in the shadow of a chimney, on top of a blacksmith's workshop. The guard was attentive, eyes alert, even watching the correct part of the city, but was no ninja.

Kakashi had been correct, back in the barracks. Even as Sayaka's mind hesitated, her fingers moved on their own, and the man's face blurred and she saw the small rings painted on her smallest kunai targets in that space between his chin and collarbone. Her blade didn't make a sound as it flew, and the sound it made hitting flesh and cartilage was barely audible over the wind in her ears.

"One down," Sayaka said into the radio, catching the body before it could hit the ground. She pulled out her kunai and wiped it on the target's clothes before holstering it. The body began to slide, and she was forced to drape it onto the chimney like it had fallen asleep on duty.

"Two down," Hinata said, and her voice didn't waver.

"Three—," Naruto said, before being cut off. They waited tensely for a second before he came back. "Three down. Sensei, the smell—"

"Wipe some insect repellant onto your lip and into your nose," said Kakashi. "The patchouli will mask it and hopefully numb your sense of smell."

"R-right," Naruto stammered, and Sayaka remembered his battle fatigue triggers. Damn, she should have helped him prepare for this. There was another moment of silence before Naruto came back on the line, sounding significantly calmer: "Right, Hinata-chan, next targets."

"Twelve, two, four, and six o'clock," she said. "Sensei, you and me, center targets. Naruto, Sayaka—"

"Flanks," Sayaka said to herself as Hinata called the target. Sayaka took a breath and keyed her radio. "Understood, moving to engage."

The next sentry stood exposed in a small garden. It was only a few sad-looking shrubs, really, attached to a watchtower that should have been part of the Senfuku municipal fire watch but was, at the moment, repurposed by Gato's gangsters as a sentry station. As a last bit of resistance, one of the watchtower's old fire lookouts had ripped up the floorboards in the watch platform. The lookout had been executed but, well, Sayaka was here to avenge that wasn't she?

The garden overlooked a section of the city, lower down than where Sayaka stood without an overlapping field of view with Sayaka's last kill. From the defender's point of view, it was an unfortunate but insurmountable limitation of the terrain, and normally meant that more than one sentry would have been on duty to make sure that the approach Sayaka had taken wasn't used by an attacking enemy. But the pirates and bandits were not disciplined and had gotten complacent, and so Sayaka had no problems racing across the rooftops towards her second target. He was looking away, wielded a long naginata, and did not hear her footsteps on the roof.

The orientation was bad for a kunai throw. If she missed he would alert the garrison, and the only good shot was a kunai straight through the brainstem at the base of his skull. It was a much harder throw than the neck—the brainstem could only be severed with a blade between the vertebrae, and a gap of one millimeter was much less than a gap of fifty.

So Sayaka leaped, flying through the air to land on the man's back. She was small and light and he only staggered as one hand covered his mouth and nose and the other drew her blade across from one side to the other.

It took only a second for the man to fall, crumpling to the ground in the way that Sayaka proscribed as she leaned backwards, then dropped to the ground lightly to set the body down without a sound.

"Neh, Azuma, I can't sleep," said a voice, and Sayaka felt her blood freeze. "How's sentry duty go—"

Sayaka turned and saw a Kiri-nin in the doorway to the garden. He was a boy, exactly her age if not a little younger, with a Kirigakure forehead protector slung across his neck. The symbol on the plate had been scratched out, but the boy was still a ninja. He was in bedclothes, his hair was tousled, but he had his kunai holster strapped to one leg, probably out of habit, and his eyes were very, very wide.

His mouth opened.

Sayaka moved, dashing forward and grabbing him by the face to muffle his shout even as he drew steel from his holster. They careened backwards, slamming into the tatami mats of the fire lookouts' quarters, where one would sleep while the other was on duty. The Kiri-nin's kunai tumbled away in the impact, but he swept his arm up at her anyway, and she was forced to block a jab at her neck that gave him enough time to jerk his head free from her hands.

"Ene—!" he tried to shout, but the sound turned into a gurgle as Sayaka grabbed him by the throat. It was her off-hand, which was unfortunate, and the Kiri-nin tried to push her off him, pushing his hands against her face, but that was hardly effective and Sayaka placed her right hand on top of her left and shifted her grip so that the hard heel of her palm drove into the boy's trachea when she bore down with all her weight.

The crunch seemed very loud.

The boy thrashed, trying desperately to draw in air, and Sayaka stumbled away, watching as he scrabbled at his neck, curling up from the pain, and then finally, finally went still.

Sayaka couldn't stop looking at his neck. It was bright red and inflamed where she had collapsed cartilage under her hand. Unbidden, her hand reached up to touch her own neck. She had killed three people today attacking that part of her body. If the roles had been reversed—

"—ayaka! Respond!"

Sayaka gasped and keyed her mic. "I'm here."

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm fine," Sayaka replied. She could feel her hands shaking. "Two down. One in the yard, one inside."

"Understood," Kakashi replied. "Are you ready to continue?"

Sayaka took a breath and swallowed. "I am."

"Good. Regroup on our position."

Sayaka nodded to herself. "Understood, on my way."

She looked one last time at the body cooling on the tatami mats. He was so young, definitely no older than she was. It had been one thing killing adults, another thing when she had been fighting Zabuza, but somehow…

Sayaka shook her head and turned away, stepping back outside and jumping up onto a rooftop. She couldn't see Hinata or Kakashi from her vantage point, but they had been engaging targets at Hinata's two and four o'clock at the previous position. She spotted the chimney where she had made her first kill of the night—the body was still there, thankfully, or she'd need to check it hadn't landed somewhere bad—and visually tracked over to Hinata's sentry, then outwards radially.

There, a rooftop with a small banner flying from the top. She watched as it was tilted first one way, then the other, in a way that was against the wind.

Sayaka moved, jumping across rooftops silently, and quickly approached the position. She took a moment to circle it, checking to make sure it was actually her team inside, then landed and ducked into the attic space.

The first thing that Sayaka noticed was that Kakashi and Hinata looked utterly spotless. Kakashi was his usual languid self, while Hinata looked pale but determined. Neither had a single drop of blood on them, and in fact Hinata looked like she hadn't done anything more strenuous than take a short stroll in the garden.

This, then, was what a Hyuuga's prowess in combat looked like. To kill silently and without any force, in a manner so clean and so elegant that it was more like a dance than war.

Sayaka looked over at Naruto and was struck with the contrast. He was covered in blood, with splatters across his front and his arms. A piece of fabric had been tied across his face, leaving only his eyes exposed, and Sayaka was sure it had been liberally doused in bug repellant.

"You lose, Naruto," Kakashi said blandly. "Sayaka's only got a few blood stains."

Naruto scowled underneath his bandanna. "Damn."

"Pay up later," said Kakashi briskly. He turned to Hinata. "Last targets?"

"Group of twenty manning the Bando Commercial Building," said Hinata. She swallowed stiffly, but took a deep breath and kept talking. "Eight on the highest floor, watching the approaches, the rest on the ground floor."

Sayaka pictured the building in her mind. It had been a five-story stone structure on the waterfront with a squared-off floor plan in their briefing earlier that day. It was designed originally to flaunt some noble family's wealth while serving as their base of operations. Sayaka didn't know how exactly Gato had compelled them to switch sides, but what mattered that evening was that it had turned into a command post cum mansion for one of the pirate leaders in Gato's employ, which meant that its garrison needed neutralizing before the rest of the operation could continue. Eight at the top meant two for each side, probably to try and avoid having too many blind spots. It would make attacking it tough.

Kakashi thought for a moment, then made a decision: "I'll sweep first for any ninja. When I give you the all clear, breach in from the top and work your way down. There's too many watchers, so you'll have to get into the top floor first before you can use a clone swarm on the rest."

Naruto shifted unhappily, but nodded. "Understood, sensei."

"I will lead," Hinata said firmly. "The Gentle Fist will be a little quieter."

"Alright," Kakashi said. "Then Naruto, you follow through the top. Sayaka, I want you to watch the ground. If there's an alert and they try to escape, stop them."

Sayaka nodded and pretended she wasn't relieved.

"Alright team, break," said Kakashi.

They turned and ran out of the attic, moving swiftly across the rooftops into position overlooking the plaza that stretched around the front of the Bando Commercial Building. They could see the lights inside, glowing through the bamboo sudare screens. Moonlight shimmered across the waves lapping up against the docks at the building's rear. It would be a pretty scene, were Team Seven not about to ruin it. Kakashi vanished promptly, leaving the genin waiting for several seconds that seemed to stretch forever. Then:

"All clear. Naruto, Hinata."

Sayaka exchanged a final look with her teammates and nodded. They nodded back to her, and set off at a run. Hinata took Naruto on a path that kept them hidden behind obstacles and out of the field of view of the sentries. The most tenuous part came when they leaped over a small gap to the side of the building and ran up it. If an enemy happened to glance over and down…

But none did, and Sayaka watched as Naruto picked a lock on a window and Hinata vaulted herself in alone. There was silence for a solid five minutes.

"Clear," Hinata radioed quietly. She seemed to be breathing a little harder, but Sayaka couldn't hear anything amiss.

"Coming in," Naruto radioed back, and vaulted in. Sayaka turned away and looped out on a long arc around the building towards the water as Naruto and Hinata began to work their way down the floors. It seemed like there wouldn't be—

—a runner, panting as he sprinted toward the Bando building. Sayaka's eyes snapped over to the motion in the corner of her vision. She drew back her arm and threw.

"We're under attack!" the runner shouted as Sayaka's kunai flew. "To arms! We're—!"

The runner fell, but his shout was loud enough to rouse at least one person, and a body in the street was obvious to everyone.

"We're blown," Sayaka called in. If she'd been faster…

"Inevitable," said Kakashi. His voice was staticky, as if he was far away. "Redbird is already inbound. Destroy the enemy."

Sayaka grimaced and drew another kunai as bandits and pirates spilled into the street. Doors flew open across the area. If the rest of Redbird squad was going to fulfill their objectives, Team Seven needed to draw the enemy's attention and make a lot of noise.

"Understood," Sayaka said. "Naruto, we're going to need some clones."

"On it."

An entire platoon of clones burst out of the Bando Commercial Building and fanned out, some taking to the rooftops and others standing their ground in the street. The ragged rush of men they faced was concentrated into five major streets that radiated out from the plaza, easy choke points to hold so long as nobody got clever and tried to go through the alleys and walls.

"Hinata, anybody circling around?" Sayaka asked, moving to circle the plaza as Naruto's clones began to throw kunai. Their telepathic link made sure that each clone chose a separate target.

"Not yet," Hinata answered. The bandits and pirates reeled briefly in the face of the clone barrage, then gathered themselves and charged a second time with shouts and curses.

"Alright," Sayaka said, and she alighted on top of a roof as the rush of pikes and axes and other things began to close on the squads holding the chokepoints. "Naruto, do you—"

Sayaka was cut off by explosions that made her duck into the shadow of a chimney. The air was filled with screams. Sayaka looked over the edge of the roof and felt her stomach heave at the sight of men lying about, torn apart from bomb tags Naruto's clones had evidently wrapped around their kunai handles. They had waited until the enemy was nearly on top of them before setting the tags off, causing those in the back to die a horrible death and distract those in front long enough for easy kills.

Gods.

Then distant explosions, large and powerful.

"Objectives complete," Redbird's squad leader called out. "Good work teams. Pursuit squads status update?"

"Team Gai is doing well," reported Lee. "We are attacking targets of opportunity to prevent a buildup of enemy forces!"

"Yeah, speaking of, we could use some reinforcements at the Bando Building," Naruto called in, voice strained. "We uh, pissed them off pretty good."

Sayaka looked down the street she was standing next to and did her best to ignore the gore. Gato's forces were massing out of kunai range. It was probably a bad idea to sally forth, in case they got caught in some kind of ambush, but if they just let them form up…

"We will come assist!" said Lee. "Unless our leader has an alternate assignment?"

"No, go assist Team Seven," said Redbird leader. "Everyone else, scatter and attack targets of opportunity where you can."

"Please wait just a few minutes," Lee said to Naruto. "We are cleaning up a few more stragglers here."

"Cool, thanks."

Sayaka turned her attention back down the street. The smell of blood and ruptured organs was starting to waft up from the corpses lying below. She felt her insides churn and quickly moved to be upwind of the abattoir.

Naruto probably hadn't picked up that many bomb tags from the armory, since the team's usual tactics didn't call for them. If that was the case then she was going to need to do some crowd control—Sayaka was the only member of the team with good area-of-effect ninjutsu. They had soldier pills in case she ran low on chakra, but hopefully Team Gai would show up in time for that not to be necessary.

She wondered if shadow-cloned soldier pills did anything, or if they just popped into smoke when you tried to digest them.

"Arquebusiers," Hinata warned on the radio. "Naruto-kun, your clones."

"Already moving them," Naruto replied. Sayaka followed the clones into cover and moved to circle around the back. If the enemy wasn't going to approach through the alleyways, then she would. She needed—

"Sayaka, watch—!"

Sayaka pivoted as a massive otsuchi mallet crashed into the ground. The wielder was an almost comically large bandit, wearing only a chest plate and a loincloth, who shouted obscenities at her and tried to raise his hammer a second time. Sayaka didn't let him, and her kunai slashed across one arm to distract him before she ducked underneath his arms and sunk it into his armpit, where it hopefully cut at least one major artery before she was forced to duck and roll away. The enraged mallet-wielder was swaying from blood loss, and Sayaka pulled back as he slumped against the wall, trying to find an opening to—

—duck again, this time from a spear pointed at her back. Damn it, they were going to swarm her. Sayaka grabbed the spear before it could retract and planted her feet with chakra, forcing the wielder sideways into the wall with enough force to jar him and give her the opening she needed to send a kunai into his throat before she had to run, leaping away as axes and naginata tried to cut through her. She bounced off of a wall, then off its mirror, and made hand signs.

The Great Fireball technique was an Uchiha Clan staple. Even the girls needed to know it, and you weren't a real adult until you could manage a respectably-sized one. She had practiced it a lot, and even though she really preferred Dragon Fire and shurikenjutsu, she could still do the technique that proved she was an Uchiha.

It still surprised her when the fireball she produced was large enough to swallow the little strips of alleyway she had been fighting in.

Sayaka landed on a roof then onto her knees and retched as the men below screamed. Some had died immediately, her fireball tightly controlled to be hot enough to warp steel, and the others were horrifically burned. Of all the people she had killed today—

Her stomach heaved again, and Sayaka pressed her hands against her ears, desperate to try and block out the sound of dying men, but now she could smell the smoke and the scorched flesh all the better and what food she had eaten before the mission splattered onto the rooftop. She'd always known what fire did to flesh. It wasn't hard to figure out for anyone who cooked meat. She knew how fire blistered skin, browned muscle, rendered out fat, but she— she'd never thought how—

Sayaka's stomach heaved again, but nothing came out, and she could feel her hands trembling as she wiped at her eyes.

"Sayaka-chan, Naruto-kun needs your help," Hinata said quietly. She no doubt could see her vomiting on the roof.

"Yes," Sayaka rasped, pushing herself up shakily. She pulled out her canteen and splashed water over her face and into her mouth, rinsing out the taste before turning and leaping across and putting the alley behind her.

"There are more making their way through the alleys," Hinata said swiftly. "Naruto-kun has made more clones to try and stop them, but he is running low on chakra and has difficulty coordinating so many clones. Thin out the enemy as best you can."

Sayaka nodded to herself, then realized that Hinata couldn't see her and radioed in: "U-understood."

But then, Hinata's eyes were active, so shouldn't she be able to tell if Sayaka had nodded?

Sayaka shook her head to clear away the useless thought and regretted it as nausea made her slip on the roofing. She fell with a thud that bruised a hip and made her snarl in self-disgust. What the hell was she doing? An Uchiha shouldn't let themselves be bothered by some fire.

She pulled herself up again and set off, swinging across towards a different street and spotting a band of enemies emerging from an alley just to the left of a squad of Naruto clones. One of the clones standing on the roofs raised the alarm, slinging a kunai towards the enemy, but Sayaka was already leaping, already close enough for another fireball.

She almost didn't do it.

She almost didn't. Her hand drifted down to her kunai holster, ready to pull another blade and sling it into the neck of the fat man down and to her right, the one with the large axe that would break her spine if it hit. Then she would land on the man wielding the rusting sword, hopefully not be stabbed, and maybe, because she was very fast, she would be able to take out the men in front of her with a little help from Naruto's clone. It was possible. She could do it. She could use steel and speed to avoid that consuming fire that she spat.

But it was such a risk. She did not know how many other bandits she needed to defend against, did not know when Team Gai would come, did not know how many bomb tags Naruto's clones still had, did not know how much chakra Naruto _himself_ had left, and worst of all she did not really know that she could fight against ten grown men in a crowded alleyway where their numbers did not help them but their sheer bulk was enough, maybe, to overwhelm a thirteen-year-old girl who didn't stand past their chins and had a knife and not a spear to protect herself with.

She hated it. Hated not knowing, hated that she wasn't good enough for a fight in this alley to be so very easy with just a knife, and how it made the fire seem all the more attractive. It would make all those doubts, all those questions, mean nothing. They wouldn't matter. And she _knew_ this technique, knew the hand signs and knew the way her chakra should boil up from inside her, through her lungs and through her throat and out her mouth where it would burn and burn and burn and she could do it.

She could do it.

What was stopping her? In that moment, hanging in the air, the world as cut glass around her, what stopped her fire?

It was fear. It was only fear. Fear of the screams and the sights and the smells and all the other things from the men she had just killed so recently. It was something she did not want to fear, but it was something that pulled at her, made her want to find a corner and cry, want to get away from everything and just be alone.

What was it that Hiroyo had said? Sayaka had done well, back the first time she had come to Senfuku, because she had finished the job and secured the area and gotten everyone home. So Sayaka couldn't stop now, couldn't let that fear take hold, not right now, not when she had such power available to her to make those unknown factors become unimportant nonfactors.

So, with eyes shining red, the pinwheels in her irises turning slowly, Sayaka breathed in and breathed out.

The fire was bright and hot, an intense blast of heat that quenched the alley and part of the plaza beyond with brilliant light. There was chakra there, more perhaps than Sayaka should have used, but her control was what gave her fire strength, binding the flickers and sparks that wanted to expand and fly away and forcing all the power she had expended to _stay there_.

Then the flames ended and Sayaka landed, hopped once, and skidded to a stop on flagstones turned warm by what her hands had wrought.

Sayaka took a shaky breath. At least this time they had not been able to scream. Her fire was too powerful, burned too quickly. She found that she couldn't look away, couldn't make herself hide from the charred flesh and fabric and curled up limbs, bent in agony and contorted by flame. She couldn't deny that it had worked, nor at what cost.

Part of her, though, part of her asked what the shame was in fighting this way. The Uchiha had fought with fire and flame for generations, had they not? They were not alone as a clan in using such techniques, and stood side-by-side with every Hokage that had ever led Konoha, every great ninja that had defended Konoha and fought in her wars. The fire Sayaka wielded was a fire that had burned across the ages. Would she really let it go out?

"Sayaka-chan," Hinata said into the radio.

Sayaka jerked, snapping out of her daze. "More?"

"West side, about twenty are pushing up behind shields."

"Alright, I'm on my way."

Sayaka took a deep breath. Right, she couldn't get distracted, there was still fighting to do. She took a moment to drink from her canteen and grimaced. Everything tasted of smoke and ash.

She set off again, running across the plaza to take position overlooking the most westerly street that needed defending. The situation was worrying, with a squad of shield-bearers creeping forward slowly towards where Naruto's clones had arrayed themselves. Each shield appeared at first to be made of thin planks, and covered a man from the ground to the chin when propped up on its folding leg. On each shield's reverse, however, was a seal array. A simple barrier seal that any ashigaru knew how to make and, therefore, basically everyone knew how to make. It had no chance of standing up to a focused attack from even the weakest of samurai, but that wasn't what they were designed to do. The shields were for deflecting kunai and arrows, and could even deflect a few shots from an arquebus and survive most ninjutsu. Unless you were a jounin, attacking head on would just be a waste of chakra.

Not that Sayaka or Naruto had much choice at the moment. Chunin assigned to break up shield formations like this usually relied on combination attacks that caused gaps to open up in the defense, while jounin could often blast the shield formation away directly. A squad of Naruto clones with kunai and bomb tags working with one genin Uchiha using low-rank fire jutsu wasn't going to have an easy time accomplishing the same task.

Sayaka carefully peered around the edge of a building to have a look at the formation and ducked back sharply at the sight of a puff of smoke. The arquebus round crashed into the wall a moment later, spraying shrapnel as the street echoed with the boom of gunfire.

That was what made shield formations dangerous. A samurai charging into that wasn't going to survive a dozen arquebusiers blasting him at less than a hundred paces. You could only achieve certain levels of strength with armor, after all. Perhaps something expensive, where each plate had been inscribed with the appropriate seal, or maybe if a samurai carried a shield into battle, but then they would be vulnerable to enemy shinobi, and besides it wasn't like those shields could survive repeated blasts from ranks and ranks of arquebusiers.

Sayaka shook her head with a grimace. She needed to get her head back together and stop letting that fireball get to her.

What did she need to do? She needed to find a way around the arquebusiers. Going on the roofs was not possible—she would be shot before she could get anything done. Through the buildings, maybe? But the shield-bearers had formed a mobile square, and the inner ranks were holding their shields up over the top of the formation while the arquebusiers fired through the gaps. It crept down the road with gaps that opened and closed as members bumped into each other and lagged behind. If Team 7 had actually been a squad of ashigaru with their own arquebuses, they'd have made short work of the formation. As it stood, she wasn't sure she could get a bomb-tagged kunai between the gaps fast enough. If she hadn't fallen behind in her training after getting stabbed—

"Yosh! Team 7, this is Team Gai, we are finally on our way!" Lee called in on the radio. "How may we be of assistance?"

"We require support to the west," said Hinata. "At the edge of the plaza."

There was a brief moment of silence. "Aha, yes, we see you now. We will be there in a moment."

Sayaka peered carefully out from her corner just in time to see Tenten crest the rooftops. The older genin twisted in midair, a dozen massive weapons on thick ropes trailing behind her. She whirled, slinging mallets and clubs around her body before sending them crashing into the top of the shield formation.

Shields that could resist bullets were not going to be damaged by a genin throwing what amounted to large rocks. The arms that held those shields were a different question. The formation broke open like a half-rotted radish. Men tumbled over each other with shouts of alarm and arquebuses went off wildly in the confusion. Shields were dropped and hastily picked back up again, but the damage had been done. The once tortoise-like ball of men had been cracked open and was now vulnerable.

Tenten landed on a roof and tugged, using chakra to pull her weapons back towards her as her team members cut deep into the gaggle of men, breaking up small knots of shields that had tried to regroup before retreating to the perimeter as Tenten began to fire off bomb tags into the bandits.

Sayaka ducked back into cover. There was no point watching anymore.

"Redbird Squad, this is the Aoyagi First Corps," said a voice on the radio. "We're pulling up on the docks now, sorry for our tardiness. I hear the Bando Building is clear?"

"First Corps, Redbird Squad has secured the Bando Commercial Building," said Hinata in a smooth tone that Sayaka had never heard from her before. "We are happy to hear of your arrival. Your assistance in securing the plaza would be appreciated."

There was a pause that Sayaka could only assume was the samurai on the other end processing how young Hinata sounded, then: "Understood, we'll do our best to help. See you in five."

* * *

"And so Uzumaki gets his first commendation," said Danzo dryly.

"Stop reading over my shoulder," said Hiruzen as he stamped the short letter and set it aside to dry. "And yes, he does. He earned it."

"Singlehandedly securing a plaza with shadow clones at his age is notable, I suppose," said Danzo. "I hope you aren't letting your favoritism blind you."

"No," said Hiruzen, pushing back his chair to stand with a groan. "No, I have reports from the samurai who reinforced his position and his commanding officer. Of course, the latter was rather brief, but good enough for a positive mark in Naruto-kun's record, I think."

Danzo huffed and turned away to stump towards the windows at the end of the Hokage's office. His leg was hurting him more than usual these days. Oh to be young again.

"The operation was broadly successful, then?" Danzo asked as he came to a stop overlooking the streets of Konoha. It was a clear night with a moon soon to reach its brightest fullness. The light cast all of Konoha in a silvered cloak.

"Broadly, yes," said Hiruzen. "Of course there are a few loose ends to tie up, but nothing that a genin team need worry about."

"Mm. Were there any other notable actions?"

"From the genin? I suppose Sayaka-chan showed her capability, and Hyuuga Neji lived up to his reputation. Otherwise, no."

Danzo nodded to himself. Not unexpected. This kind of policing action more often than not wasn't very distinguishing for genin, but it was certainly a good chance for them to cut their teeth. Not having at least one such mission on file before the Chunin Exams was probably disqualifying without further consideration.

"Team Gai is ready for the exams then, would you say?" asked Danzo.

"Undoubtedly," said Hiruzen. He sighed. "Neji has perhaps more issues to work through, but he can at least cooperate with others, and there is only so much we can expect from our ninja."

Danzo snorted. "Or something like that, yes. And Team Seven?"

"Probably. They will keep taking missions over the winter that should bring them up to speed."

"You have a lot of faith in them."

"Their ability to work together is better than any other genin team's," said Hiruzen. "Even Team Ten, which should be better, does not have the ability to dynamically reshape how they fight to changing circumstances."

"To a large degree, that is because of Team Seven's sensei."

"Well, there is a tendency for the students to gain similar habits to their teachers," said Hiruzen. The ink on Naruto's commendation had dried, and he slid the paper into Naruto's folder before closing it and setting it aside to work on other things. "When the teacher is a prodigy steeped in blood, it is inevitable that the students will pick up some of the stains."

"And you are willing to accept that?" asked Danzo.

Hiruzen scoffed. "The secret, Danzo, to being a soft and overly merciful old man is to never put yourself in a position where you are forced to choose between ruthlessness and mercy. Kakashi has always been a loyal soldier of Konoha, and his students inevitably will be too. I may be soft in your eyes, but Naruto wields tremendous power. When the time comes, we will not need to ask him to volunteer it in defense of our village."

"He will volunteer, as he has already numerous times," said Danzo. He huffed. "Well. It seems the old fox still has a few tricks."

Hiruzen snorted and pulled out his pipe. "One does not successfully lead Konoha through two wars without some tricks. My only hope is that one day they will not be necessary."

Danzo tapped his walking stick against the floor thoughtfully. "Indeed. But for now we must still make use of our guile. The next phase of the operation should begin soon, yes?"

"Yes. Wave must be pacified before Gato will be truly defanged. Have you collected any new information on the matter?"

"I have. The file should be on your desk already, but the summary is…"


End file.
